Chris Christie to Visit Israel on Sunday


By Luca Cacciatore

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is set to visit Israel on Sunday, making him the first 2024 Republican presidential candidate to go since the deadly Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

CNN reported that Christie said he was invited by the Jewish state and will meet with several families of people kidnapped by Hamas, soldiers within the Israel Defense Forces, and Israeli officials.

"They said they appreciated the things I was saying and the stance I was taking, and if I was interested in coming over, they would be able to welcome me, and I made the decision to come," Christie told reporters.

He is also planning to visit just outside the Gaza Strip's border with southern Israel, where much of the massacre of over 1,000 civilians occurred.

Christie later posted about the trip on social media platform X.

The announcement comes two days after Christie joined every other candidate at the third GOP primary debate in pledging his support for Israel's ground incursion into the Gaza Strip.

"The first thing I would say to [Israeli] Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu is pretty simple: America is here no matter what it is you need at any time to preserve the state of Israel," Chris Christie said at the debate.

"Remember that Hamas' main goal is to get rid of Israel — is to get Israel absolutely off the map," he added.

It is not the first time Christie has visited. In 2012, the country became his first foreign policy trip as governor of New Jersey — a state with one of the largest Jewish populations in the country.

After he returns from Israel, Christie is expected to deliver a foreign policy address at the Hudson Institute on Wednesday, according to CNN.

Christie previously met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv several months after launching his 2024 bid, The New York Times noted at the time.

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