Israel Matzav

Palin coming to Israel?

Politico is reporting that Sarah Palin is planning an overseas trip in 2011 and Israel is at the top of her list (Hat Tip: Memeorandum).

Details of the trip, including the timing, have not yet been worked out. But Palin sources confirm that plans are being considered for foreign travel in the new year, with Israel and Britain at the top of the list.

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Potential presidential contenders frequently plan highly publicized foreign trips ahead of announcing runs as a forum to boost their foreign policy credentials.

The move could be an opportunity for the Republican former vice presidential nominee to bolster any perceived weaknesses as a candidate. She has little travel experience on her resume, and GOP insiders worry that she’s weak on issues outside of her comfort zone.

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Some of Palin’s potential GOP presidential rivals already have taken foreign trips. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee traveled to Israel last year and is returning in January. And Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty traveled to Asia in September as part of a trade mission.

The Daily Beast adds:

Palin has long wanted to visit Israel, and in a recent Facebook post wishing the Jewish community a Happy Hanukkah she reconfirmed her support for the Jewish state: “Today we should all recommit ourselves to ensuring that the miracle of a Jewish state endures forever. The dreidel is one of the most familiar symbols of Hanukkah, with Hebrew letters on it representing the phrase Nes Gadol Haya Sham—‘a great miracle happened there.’ Indeed a great miracle is still happening there.”

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The former Alaska governor was criticized in 2008 for her limited global travel, but this first foreign trip post-governorship would burnish her foreign-policy credentials and would certainly be accompanied by a media frenzy as both the Israeli and English press follow her closely.

Palin has a foreign-policy team of two allies from her time on the McCain campaign, Randy Scheunemann and Michael Goldfarb briefing her, and she has taken to her Facebook page of late to weigh in on global issues. In a post titled “An Open Letter to Republican Freshmen Members of Congress” she tells new members to “say no to cutting the necessities in our defense budget when we are engaged in two wars and face so many threats—from Islamic extremists to a nuclear Iran to a rising China.” She also urges the freshmen to “push job-creating free trade agreements with allies like Colombia and South Korea.” And she even counsels them on Israel writing, “You can stand with allies like Israel, not criticize them. You can let the President know what you believe—Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, not a settlement.” And she shares her opposition to the START treaty, something her potential 2012 rival Mitt Romney has also expressed his opposition toward, “don’t listen to desperate politically motivated arguments about the need for hasty consideration of the ‘New START’ treaty. Insist on your right to patient and careful deliberation of New START to address very real concerns about verification, missile defense, and modernization of our nuclear infrastructure. No New START in the lame duck!”

Another potential 2012 rival, Mike Huckabee has also announced a trip to Israel in the new year. He will be making his 15th trip to the Holy Land in January.

I'd love to see Palin come here. In fact, I'd like to see all the candidates come here. But I can think of one who won't come here. Hint: He's a Democrat.

Labels: Campaign 2012, Sarah Palin is a true friend of Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:50 AM