In a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas, Donald Trump cautioned Jewish donors that they would be "abandoned" if Kamala Harris were to become president. While Trump offered few specific Middle Eastern policy proposals for his potential second term, he portrayed a Harris presidency as catastrophic for the state of Israel.

Addressing the crowd of more than 1,000 donors, Trump stated, "You're going to be abandoned if she becomes president. And I think you need to explain that to your people... You're not going to have an Israel if she becomes president," although he provided no evidence to support his claims.

During his speech, Trump also pledged to ban the resettlement of refugees from "terror-infested" areas such as Gaza and vowed to apprehend "pro-Hamas thugs" involved in vandalism, potentially referring to college student protesters. Furthermore, he warned that US universities would risk losing accreditation and federal support due to what he described as "antisemitic propaganda" if he were to be elected.

While both Trump and his Democratic opponent Joe Biden have admitted similar numbers of Palestinian refugees into the US, data from the US State Department indicates that from fiscal year 2017 to 2020, a total of 114 Palestinian refugees were accepted, compared to 124 Palestinian refugees from fiscal year 2021 to July 31 of this year.

The protests that swept through college campuses earlier this year, denouncing Israel's military offensive in Gaza and calling for divestment from companies supporting Israel, have been a source of contention. Republicans argue that these protests demonstrate anti-Semitism within the Democratic Party, while protest groups maintain that their criticism of Israel's policies has been unfairly labeled as anti-Semitic.

The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's speech. Harris, who has aligned herself closely with Trump's staunch support of Israel, has rejected calls from some within her own party to reconsider sending weapons to Israel due to the heavy Palestinian death toll in Gaza. However, she has called for a ceasefire, acknowledging the devastating situation in Gaza.

According to health authorities in Gaza, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since the attacks led by Hamas in October 2023. Israeli tallies indicate that approximately 1,200 Israelis were killed in the surprise attack, with around 250 taken hostage. The subsequent military assault on Gaza resulted in the displacement of nearly its entire population of 2.3 million and has led to allegations of genocide at the world court, which Israel vehemently denies.

As the election draws nearer, both candidates continue to emphasize their respective positions on Israel and the Middle East, with Trump warning of potential consequences under a Harris presidency, and Harris reaffirming her support for Israel while calling for an end to the devastating situation in Gaza.