A.G. Gancarski
One of the highlights of Florida Gov. Rick Scott‘s trip to Israel was a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
But if you were looking for meaningful information out of the Governor’s Office on it, you would be disappointed.
“Governor Scott and Prime Minister Netanyahu discussed ways to strengthen ties between Florida and Israel during an hour long meeting,” asserted Lauren Schenone Thursday on behalf of the Governor.
We, of course, wanted to know more.
Among our questions: what specifics were discussed with the PM regarding future ties/investment between Israel/Florida.
And — given that Gov. Scott took a position before the trip that the US embassy should be moved to Jerusalem, as the President ultimately asserted — we wanted to know if that was discussed also.
If it was, we didn’t find out.
Tipping off what President Donald Trump would do, Gov. Scott asserted the following late last month.
“I strongly believe that the U.S. Embassy belongs in Jerusalem and I am hopeful that a decision will be made to finally move the embassy to the its rightful destination in Israel’s capital city,” Scott said in a press release with a Jacksonville dateline, even as he gave no hints of this position while talking to media in the city.
Scott expanded on his position while in Israel, per the Jerusalem Post.
“It’s the capital of Israel, our embassy ought to be located there,” Governor Scott told The Jerusalem Post on Monday. “We passed legislation… and we need to comply with the legislation instead of the waivers.”
Scott reiterated his position after a question from a Post reporter: “I believe the embassy ought to be in Jerusalem. That’s what I’m going to support.”
As protests rage in the city regarding the position, and as many world leaders have come forth opposing the move, it would be interesting to know more about a position framed as a provocation by American allies and rivals alike.
Per the Post, Scott was more comfortable — no surprise to Florida reporters — with discussion of jobs and economic ties.
“There are a lot of people in Florida who are very financially supportive of Israel,” Scott told the Post. “They’re constantly calling me and letting me know that we have to do more business with Israel.”
Scott also explained his opposition to the BDS Movement, which calls for boycott, divestment, and sanctions, to Israeli press.
“It’s disgusting that people think about doing that. Israel is a sovereign nation; Israel deserves to be respected like everybody else. There should be no antisemitism in the world. I’m going to do everything I can to stand with Israel.”
All of that is helpful insight.
But the questions about specifics from the meeting of Gov. Scott and PM Netanyahu remain.
