(JTA) — The United States is not going to get involved in Israel’s elections after the sitting prime minister brought an extremist right-wing party into an alliance with a more mainstream right-wing party, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.
“We’re not about to get involved in, to interfere in the election of a democracy. Elections campaigns are tough. We’ll allow the Israeli people to sort this out, Pompeo told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday morning.
Last week, Benjamin Netanyahu helped shepherd the merger of the Otzma Yehudit party, that subscribes to the anti-Arab racist views of Meir Kahane, with the right-wing Jewish Home party in order to shore up the votes of a right-wing bloc that could help him form a government after the April 9 elections.
Tapper asked whether it was the responsibility of an ally of Israel to reach out and tell Netanyahu when he is doing something that “violates the values of that relationship, the values of the Jewish state.”
Pompeo replied: “This administration has been very vocal when we see human rights violations wherever we find them. Friends, foes, adversaries, allies, and we have been very consistent. We do it in different ways and do it in different times. We will certainly continue to do that.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
