Washington, DC – When Nikki Haley was Washington’s ambassador to the United Nations, she blocked the appointment of former Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad as the worldwide physique’s envoy to Libya.

The explanation had nothing to do together with his expertise or {qualifications}. Haley, who served beneath former US President Donald Trump, explicitly rejected Fayyad as a result of he’s Palestinian.

“America doesn’t presently acknowledge a Palestinian state or help the sign this appointment would ship inside the United Nations,” Haley stated in a press release in February 2017, accusing the UN of bias in favour of Palestinians to “the detriment” of Israel.

The episode was certainly one of many the place Haley made headlines throughout her time on the UN by rebuking Palestinians and voicing help for Israel.

On Wednesday, Haley, 51, formally launched her marketing campaign for the 2024 US presidential race from her residence state of South Carolina. However her candidacy has renewed criticism from Palestinian rights advocates who say Haley’s diplomatic profession was outlined by pro-Israel advocacy — and her “bigotry” in opposition to Palestinians was usually ignored.

“Nikki Haley has a shameful historical past of enabling Israel’s violence in opposition to the Palestinian folks, a defining characteristic of her tenure because the UN ambassador,” Iman Abid, advocacy director on the US Marketing campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR), advised Al Jazeera.

Praising Israel

Abid cited Haley’s defence of Israeli forces after they shot dozens of Palestinians in Gaza who had been demonstrating in opposition to the relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Throughout a UN Safety Council session addressing the killings at the moment, Haley praised what she referred to as Israel’s “restraint” and walked out of the assembly when Palestine’s consultant started to talk.

“We bear in mind her merciless callousness as Israel shot and killed over 60 Palestinian protesters on the Gaza border on Might 14, 2018, and her open racism and disrespect for Palestinian life,” Abid stated in an e mail.

The daughter of Indian immigrants and the previous governor of South Carolina, Haley served as UN ambassador for the primary two years of Trump’s time period, usually spearheading the president’s overseas coverage selections, together with the embassy transfer to Jerusalem in violation of worldwide legislation.

Her marketing campaign didn’t instantly reply to Al Jazeera’s request for remark.

Whereas US help for Israel on the UN is a decades-long bipartisan coverage that continues beneath the present administration of President Joe Biden, rights advocates say Haley’s anti-Palestinian bias was particularly brazen.

Early in her tenure as envoy, Haley made it clear that she would make backing Israel on the UN a precedence. She usually heaped reward on Israel and accused the UN of “bullying” the nation.

“Nowhere has the UN’s failure been extra constant and extra outrageous than in its bias in opposition to our shut ally Israel,” she stated in her Senate affirmation listening to in January 2017.

After Trump determined to relocate the US embassy in Israel late in 2017, Haley warned the worldwide neighborhood that Washington will likely be “taking names” because the UN pushed to denounce the transfer.

Regardless of Haley’s veiled menace, which got here by way of Twitter on the time, 128 nations voted in favour of a UN Basic Meeting decision declaring Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “null and void”. Solely seven nations joined the US and Israel in voting in opposition to the measure.

Even in her time outdoors authorities since 2019, Haley has continuously made pro-Israel statements.

Israel has a proper to self-defense.

— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) January 29, 2023

John Hagee opens Haley’s marketing campaign launch

Haley’s pro-Israel stance was on full show at Wednesday’s presidential marketing campaign launch. Pastor John Hagee, founding father of the Christian-Zionist group Christians United for Israel, was the primary speaker to take the rostrum on the occasion.

In his remarks, Hagee, who has beforehand described Muslim immigrants within the US as an “invasion”, paid a nod to Haley’s report on the Israeli-Palestinian battle. “As she has been a defender of Israel, so let her expertise the promise of God given to Abraham and to all who’re righteous,” the pastor stated in a prayer.

Republican Congressman Ralph Norman additionally stated at Haley’s rally on Wednesday that the previous UN envoy “will combat to help our solely democracy within the Center East, Israel”.

Haley herself additionally made a reference to Israel throughout her announcement, pledging to “stand with our allies from Israel to Ukraine”.

These remarks — in addition to the lineup of audio system like Hagee — drew condemnation from some critics.

“Haley devoted her time as Donald Trump’s UN ambassador to undermining worldwide legislation and attacking any try to carry the Israeli authorities accountable for its violations of Palestinian rights,” Beth Miller, political director at JVP Motion, an arm of Jewish Voice for Peace, advised Al Jazeera.

“One want look no additional than her racist, anti-Semitic, Islamophobic supporters — corresponding to Christian Zionist pastor John Hagee — to see that she poses a menace to all of our weak communities.”

In an previous sermon that resurfaced in 2008, Hagee described Nazi chief Adolf Hitler as a “hunter” despatched by God to push Jewish folks to maneuver to Israel.

Abed Ayoub, government director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), additionally criticised Haley for giving Hagee a platform on the marketing campaign launch. He added that he rejects the “moderate” label that some mainstream media retailers have hooked up to Haley throughout her time serving beneath Trump.

“There’s nothing reasonable about being a bigot,” Ayoub advised Al Jazeera.

He referred to as Haley’s views on Palestinians “problematic”, saying that her determination to dam Fayyad’s UN appointment demonstrates that anti-Palestinian — and broadly anti-Arab — bigotry usually will get a go in US politics.

“She wouldn’t have gotten away with this if it was someone from some other nation,” Ayoub stated.

Professional-Israel competitors

Relating to pro-Israel advocacy, Haley might have some stiff competitors for the 2024 Republican nomination.

With the rising affect of evangelical Christians, a few of whom hyperlink Israel’s survival to Biblical prophecies, unconditional help for Israel has turn into a virtually unquestioned place within the Republican Celebration.

The one different candidate formally within the race is Haley’s former boss, Trump, who is commonly described by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu because the “finest pal that Israel has ever had within the White Home”.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo — each staunch Israel supporters — are additionally anticipated to run.

Ayoub voiced concern that Republican candidates might attempt to outdo each other with anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia to attraction to “the extremists of their base”.

“With so many of us coming into the race and attempting to match Donald Trump, issues are going to get uglier as they proceed,” he stated.

On Wednesday, Haley talked up her expertise as a public servant, describing herself as a “tough-as-nails lady”. The 51-year-old additionally referred to as for a generational change.

“When you’re bored with dropping, put your belief in a brand new technology,” Haley advised a crowd of supporters. “And if you wish to win — not simply as a celebration however as a rustic — stand with me.”