Ben Shapiro draws thousands to conservative, pro-Trump confab in Tel Aviv

The Times of Israel ^ | July 21, 2022 | SIMONA WEINGLASS

[gitmo]

Thousands of Israelis gathered in a Tel Aviv hangar on Wednesday night as the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), one of the most influential political organizations in the United States, held its inaugural Israeli conference.

Conservative activists and top Donald Trump administration officials spoke about how much the former US president has done for Israel, praised Israel’s high birthrate and called on Israelis to fight on the conservative side of America’s culture wars.

But the key draw for many was celebrity pundit Ben Shapiro, who gave the evening’s keynote address.

SNIP

“Do any of you watch CNN International?” he asked.

Some members of the audience booed.

“I knew I was going to love you even more!” he exclaimed.

“America believes that we have no greater ally in the Middle East and in the world than the people of Israel,” he went on. “But if you watch CNN, you might get a different idea.”

SNIP

Make Israel great again?

In recent years, CPAC has come to be associated with the pro-Trump MAGA wing of the Republican party, and several speakers on Wednesday evening effusively praised Trump — who may soon announce a reelection bid — for what they described as his contributions to Israel’s standing in the region. None of the speakers mentioned Trump’s potential rival for the Republican nomination, Ron DeSantis.

SNIP

“I will tell you one thing about president Trump. When he wants to get something done, he gets it done. And we need more leaders like him to be a fighter in this world that we live in.”

[gitmo]

I'd like to have attended that one.

[Dr. Sivana]

I thought Shapiro was a “Never Trumper”. Or is he more of a Glenn Beck-type “I’ll put up with Trump if the only alternatives are Mrs. Gore and Biden”?

[Honcho]

Shapiro is not a “Never Trumper.” He’s not an “Always Trumper” either.