Ron DeSantis Advocates Hard-Line Stance on Palestinian Refugees, Dismisses International Entreaties for Israel

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has taken a hard-line stance on the potential of Palestinian refugees coming to the United States, saying they should not be allowed into the country. DeSantis made the comments on Sunday during an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation”, challenging the rest of the Republican presidential field to take the same stance.

DeSantis also dismissed international entreaties for Israel to provide clean running water and utilities to the 2.3 million civilians in the Gaza Strip, saying that they “are all antisemitic”. His comments were a striking departure from the public stand taken by U.S. officials, including some of his fellow Republicans, who draw distinctions between the aims of the Palestinian people and those of Hamas.

DeSantis has advocated hard-line policies as a White House candidate, and told “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan that Palestinians “should go to Arab countries” and that the “United States should not be absorbing those”. His comments echo a stance he took on the campaign trail in Iowa on Saturday.

The issue of Palestinian refugees has been a contentious one for decades, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimating that there are currently over 5.3 million Palestinian refugees worldwide. DeSantis’ comments have been met with criticism from human rights groups, who argue that refugees should be allowed to seek asylum in the United States.

DeSantis’ stance on the issue is likely to be a major talking point in the upcoming Republican presidential debates. It remains to be seen whether his hard-line stance will be shared by the other candidates, or if they will take a more moderate approach.