Mike Pence
Most of the talk, however, focused on the coronavirus pandemic and the impact it has had on the health of Americans and the U.S. economy; relations with China; climate change; and the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The opening prayer was given by Rabbi Aryeh Spero, president of the Conference of Jewish Affairs and a longtime Republican.
Danny Danon is “as out of the loop today as he was when he actually was an ambassador,” says a senior Trump administration official after Danon speculates about the U.S. president’s re-election campaign.
His comments and absence reverberated throughout the event, with speakers ranging from U.S. Vice President Mike Pence to House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to former New York City mayor and current Democratic presidential contender Michael Bloomberg referencing it.
Vice President Mike Pence also criticized Democratic candidates for not challenging Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) about his views on AIPAC and Israel during the Feb. 25 debate in South Carolina.
Pence to address audience at annual AIPAC conference
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other members of Congress are scheduled to speak.
From the get-go, this international assembly meant business, starting without preamble, showing statistics on the dramatic increase in anti-Semitic acts across a giant screen.
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will also be there, according to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin’s office.
Report: Pence may visit Israel in January for Auschwitz ceremony
Other world leaders set to attend a ceremony at Yad Vashem marking 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz include Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Broadly speaking, the rest of America’s allies in the region are likely wondering whether they, too, could be cast aside this easily. This decision does not reflect well on American foreign policy,” says Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Afterwards, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to visit Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss regional security and the U.S. withdrawal from Syria.
Sanctions target Turkey’s defense, interior and energy ministries • U.S. also raises tariffs on Turkish steel imports to 50 percent and cancels negotiations on “$100 billion” trade deal.
