A series of speeches by Republican presidential candidates at a gathering of Jewish donors and activists highlighted the growing significance of foreign policy in the campaign and revealed divisions within the primary contest. Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley criticized former President Donald Trump’s handling of threats to the US and Israel, while Trump focused on attacking President Joe Biden’s perceived weakness. The speeches took place as the conflict in the Middle East escalated and Israel expanded its ground operations in Gaza. With Trump leading in the polls, his rivals saw an opportunity to differentiate themselves from him by criticizing his response to attacks in Ukraine and Israel. The annual meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition, which was added as a sponsor of the third Republican debate, underscored the importance of Israel as a unifying issue for various factions within the party.