MICHAEL KARAS/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Governor Christie talking with Sheldon Adelson, left, a Republican
donor, and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach of Englewood, founder of the World
Values Network, who served as hosts of the Thursday event in New York
City.
NEW YORK – Governor Christie and U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez were honored Thursday night as “champions” of Israel at a gala hosted by Republican donor Sheldon Adelson and the World Values Network, a group of Jewish leaders founded by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach of Englewood.
Also honored were Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, Oscar-winning actor Ben Kingsley and Anne Frank’s childhood friend Jacqueline Van Maarsen. With Israel under threat in a volatile Middle East, and amid mounting concerns about Iran obtaining nuclear weapons, organizers said it was vital to have U.S. leaders standing up for the Jewish state.
The New York City gala had political overtones for the Republican governor and Democratic senator, with Christie edging closer to announcing a presidential run and Menendez under fire from federal prosecutors accusing him of corruption.
For Christie, the event served as a platform to broadcast his hawkish views on U.S. foreign policy before an influential crowd. It was also an opportunity to court Adelson, a Nevada casino magnate who has become one of the most influential Republican donors. The governor and his wife, Mary Pat, sat with Adelson at the head table.
Christie arrived late at the event, and for the first few hours, attendees posed for pictures with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a declared presidential candidate who got a standing ovation after making the case for a U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, defunding the Palestinian Authority, arming Israel with “bunker bombs,” and opposing the framework of a deal President Obama is pursuing with Iran on its nuclear capabilities.
At last year’s event, Christie’s remarks drew a muted reaction from the crowd, having come shortly after he referred to Palestine as “occupied territories,” which did not sit well with Israeli defenders.
This year, the governor got a warm reception for a tough speech heavily critical of Obama.
“This is a president who cares more about his legacy and his library than making the world a safe and secure place,” Christie said. “Our friends in Israel deserve better than what they’ve gotten in the last seven years from this White House.”
Menendez highlighted his tough stance on Israel before a supportive crowd.
“We must always have Israel’s back, and that not only means stopping Iran from having the capacity to have a nuclear weapon, it means fighting back against any nation, any anti-Semitic group, any haters or Holocaust deniers who try to delegitimize Israel,” Menendez said.
Adelson praised him as one of Israel’s strongest supporters, and appeared to make a reference to the corruption charges, saying the senator's opposition to Obama on the Iran deal “has made him unpopular within the White House, to say the least.”
“The leadership and courage Senator Menendez has shown in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, as well as his unwavering support for Israel, makes him a true hero for all of the Jewish community,” Adelson said.
Formerly the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez had tough words for Obama’s framework for a deal with Iran, saying it could absolve that country of a long-standing requirement to be completely upfront about the intentions behind its uranium-enrichment program.
Menendez said the deal could lead to a wave of Middle Eastern countries hostile to Israel obtaining nuclear weapons. “Hope is not a national security solution,” Menendez said of the framework. “We need to guarantee that Iran does not have a weapon.”
http://www.northjersey.com/news/christie-menendez-honored-as-champions-of-israel-1.1344629?
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