US elections feel the echoes of the conflict in the Middle East

On Wednesday, the Republican candidate announced plans to participate in a memorial ceremony on October 7 in Florida with members of the Jewish community.

In a statement, it said the Harris-Biden administration’s “ineffective and failed policies have allowed Iranian-backed proxies to pave a path of death and destruction, resulting in catastrophic global ramifications.”

The former president claims, and has been saying for almost a year, that the deadly attack by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on October 7, 2023, which caused the deaths of 1,205 people in Israel, most of them civilians, would never have occurred if he was in office.

Jewish voters

Trump, 78, hopes his interest in the Middle East will boost his popularity among Jewish voters, an electorate that has historically voted Democratic and largely supports Kamala ahead of the Nov. 5 vote.

“She hates Israel,” the Republican said of his 59-year-old opponent during the televised debate. “In my opinion, Israel will cease to exist in two years and I think I’m completely right,” he said.