Former Vice President Mike Pence spoke to an audience of Republicans in Jerusalem, where he called being in Israel “deeply inspiring.”
“Today I had the privilege to meet the Chief Rabbi of Kyiv. He and his wife were evacuated a few short days ago. I want to commend the State of Israel. That at this moment in time Israel has received more Ukrainian refugees than any nation on earth, apart form those that have borders with Ukraine,” Pence said at the Republican Party event, which took place at the King David Hotel and was hosted by attorney Marc Zell, chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel.
“And I looked at that rabbi and I said, ‘Of course you came here. Because that’s what Israel is for.’ The miracle of Israel that each one of you sustains every day, a miracle that was prophetized millennia ago that came to fruition in 1948, and is a source of great pride to the people of Israel, to Americans who reside here.”
Pence explained that the American people have an enduring bond with Israel.
“I want to assure you that the success and prosperity and security of Israel is and shall always remain a highest priority to the overwhelming majority of the American people,” he said.
Pence spoke about meeting with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett who “expressed kind accolades and [thanked us for] our support for Israel.”
“I said, ‘Mr. Prime Minister, I hope you understand that the love for Israel echoes out of every church along every little country road by every cornfield across the heartland of this country.’”
Pence stressed that “Now more than ever we need to put feet on that affection and that commitment.”
“These are perilous times. I’m someone who believes that history teaches that weakness arouses evil,” he said. “I believe that the Biden administration’s unilateral concessions to Russia [and the] disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan emboldened our adversaries around the world – most notably Russia – to take action that they would not have taken during our season of service.”
Adding that the United States needs to do all that it can to support the people of Ukraine, including the transfer of weapons into Ukraine, Pence said: “Give the people of Ukraine a way do defend themselves by themselves against the Russian military.”
While he welcomed Biden’s announcement of an embargo on all Russian oil imports into the U.S., Pence cautioned that more still needs to be done.
“But that’s just step one. Step two is we need the Biden administration to unleash American energy and allow America to achieve energy independence once again,” Pence said.
Pence asked Republicans Overseas members in Israel to use their voice and influence in the U.S. – “Let your voice be heard.”
“So many of you have such a wide range of influence in the United States and I ask you to use it. I believe that the voice of Republicans Overseas here in Israel has never been more important, with an administration that is literally at the table in Vienna using the Russians as intermediaries to negotiate another disastrous deal with Iran.”
Pence called for strong voices to stand up to a potential deal with Iran.
“Now more than ever we need strong conservative Republican voices in American to stand up and say ‘No,’” he said.
Pence was optimistic that even if a bad deal is struck with Iran, it will not be permanent.
“Whatever this administration chooses to do with regard to Iran... after we win back the Congress and win back the White House, I have every confidence the next Republican president will tear up that Iran nuclear deal.”