'There's a New Sheriff in Town': Ambassador Nikki Haley Vows to Take on the UN
WASHINGTON -- The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference has drawn an impressive lineup of speakers in Washington.
The annual, bipartisan event is known for bringing in big crowds in support of the Jewish state.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley spoke to the crowd this week, each reaffirming their commitment to repairing and strengthening the alliance between Israel and the United States.
"These past eight years have been tough. Our friendship has been tested. No single political spat or public disagreement can sever our historic alliance with Israel, but it can erode trust. And I think the actions of this past administration damaged this trust," commented Ryan.
"That's why I want to pledge right here and now that so long as I am speaker, we will meet our military assistance commitments to Israel and provide additional funding in times of crisis. When she needs us, we will be there. We are there and we will be there for Israel," Ryan committed.
All Eyes on Nikki Haley
It's Haley, however, that's being called the "star of the conference," with her pro-Israel remarks and strong stance against the U.N.'s criticism of Israel.
"The days of Israel bashing are over," she said. "You're not going to take our number one democratic friend in the Middle East and beat up on him."
"For anyone that says you can't get anything done at the U.N., they need to know there's a new sheriff in town," Haley said confidently.
She went on to express her concerns over the Iranian nuclear deal.
"The reason it's concerning is because when the Iran deal took place, all it did was empower Iran and it empowered Russia, and it emboldened Iran to feel like they could get away with more," she began.
"My concern is, you are seeing a lot of love for the Iran deal in the Security Council, and that's unfortunate. Why that was ever allowed to go through, why that passed is beyond me. I mean it's terrible," she concluded.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Haley's appointment along with the appointment of U.S. Ambassador David Friedman.
Netanyahu, who also addressed the crowds Monday, also stressed the importance of US-Israel relations.
"I have said this before and I will say it again, Israel has no greater friend than America and America has no greater friend than Israel," said Netanyahu.
The conference wraps up Tuesday with speeches from the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
