MERRIMACK, N.H. — The first Republican presidential candidate since the outbreak of war,
Chris Christie
will travel to Israel on Sunday to visit the families of the people taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, members of the Israel Defense Forces, and government officials.
Christie is keeping his contacts in Israel under wraps for safety reasons, but emphasized that as a presidential candidate, he is determined to see the situation firsthand, stating, “I don’t think you can try to be president of the United States and be afraid to go and see what’s happening on the ground.” Additionally, he expressed that to truly lead, one must take action, such as visiting a country that is facing turmoil.
Emphasizing the importance of learning from the trip, Christie noted, “I’m just going to, like, ask a lot of questions and then shut up and listen, and hopefully it’ll make me a better candidate. And I’m confident it will make me a better president.” The invitation from Israel’s foreign ministry came in response to Christie’s stance, which they appreciated, leading to their welcome and Christie’s decision to accept.
During the recent debate hosted by NBC News, Christie assured his support for Israel, and pointed out that he remains committed to Israel’s need to preserve its state, reiterating that America is ready to provide assistance at any time. This is not Christie’s first time visiting a conflict zone, having made a surprise trip to Ukraine in early August.
In addition to visiting Israel, Christie plans to go to the Gaza envelope in Southern Israel, just 5 miles from the Gaza strip. Moreover, he is scheduled to give a foreign policy address at the conservative think tank, the Hudson Institute, in Washington. You can read more at NBCNews.com
