BUSINESSMAN DONALD TRUMP – never far from controversy – had some more controversial comments to make on the subject of his planned wall between the US and Mexico last night at the latest Republican debate.
Trump seemed to fade from the spotlight at times during the fourth Republican TV contest as he lined up alongside his fellow White House hopefuls. But he managed to generate plenty of reaction, as usual, with his remarks on immigration.
“We are a country of laws,” he said. “We need borders. We will build a wall.”
He told the crowd:
“The wall will be successful. And if you think walls don’t work all you have to do is ask Israel. The wall works, believe me – properly done.”
Cue Twitter outrage (and approval):
The Israeli-West Bank barrier is a separation barrier built by Israel’s government. A controversial project, the International Court of Justice ruled in 2004 that it violated international law as it infringed on the rights of Palestinians.
According to the Jewish Chronicle, Israel supporters have highlighted a fall in attacks in the years since it was built, from 135 in 2002 to 11 in 2013. However, according to the paper, that figure rose to 62 in 2014.
Immigration
While Trump’s stance on immigration (he also wants to deport the estimated 11 million in the country illegally) is popular with some of the most conservative Republican voters, rivals John Kasich and Jeb Bush argued that it was not a practical position for the Republican nominee to take into the general election next November.
“For the 11 million people, c’mon folks. We all know you can’t pick them up and ship them across the border,” Kasich said — a line that drew enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Bush put it in starker terms:
“They’re doing high-fives in the Clinton campaign when they’re hearing this.”
The debate
Aside from Trump’s comments, the debate passed off without much controversy.
Aided by tentative questioning, the top candidates executed their strategies and rattled off their talking points with little resistance during the Fox Business-hosted contest in Milwaukee.
With no breakout moments — good or bad — the muddled status quo continues in the Republican Party’s unruly 2016 contest, with time running out to change voters’ minds heading into the holiday season.
With reporting from Associated Press.
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