Pence pledges support for Israel at Jewish group speech

Vice President Mike Pence on Friday reaffirmed the Trump administration’s commitment to Israel in a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) in the wake of a rise in anti-Semitic acts in the U.S.

“If the world knows nothing else, the world will know this: America stands with Israel,” Pence told the RJC at the group’s annual leadership meeting in Las Vegas, the Associated Press reported.

He also said the administration is “assessing” a potential decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and that, under President Trump, relations between Israel and the U.S. have already improved.

{mosads}Pence similarly touted U.S. support for Israel during an address at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland earlier this week, promising that the Trump administration would stand by the country.

“Israel’s fight is our fight. Her cause is our cause. Her values are our values,” Pence said. “And under President Trump, America will stand with Israel.”

The continued affirmations that the administration will work to bolster the U.S. relationship with Israel is welcome news for some supporters of the Jewish state, who believe that relations between the two countries eroded under former President Obama.

Trump has dealt with questions about rising anti-Semitic acts in the U.S. by some of his supporters. The president condemned such attacks on Tuesday as “horrible.”

Pence visited a Jewish cemetery in Missouri this week that had been vandalized, similarly denouncing anti-Semitism. The vice president discussed that visit at the RJC meeting on Friday.

He also showered praise on GOP mega-donor and casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who is a major backer of the RJC and, along with his wife Miriam, donated millions to a super-PAC supporting Trump’s presidential campaign.

“Rest assured we’re going to keep our end of the bargain, too,” the AP quoted Pence as saying.