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The full video of Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) speech Wednesday night, which was cut abruptly short after he received jeers from some audience members, was posted to the Fox News website Friday morning.
Cruz was on stage for a little more than five minutes Wednesday night at an event sponsored by a new nonprofit group called In Defense of Christians.
{mosads}The group’s aim is to advocate for Christians persecuted in the Middle East, and the event was attended by many Orthodox Christians from the United States, Europe and the Middle East — an audience that would include many people reflexively pro-Palestinian and critical of Israel.
The group has a specific focus on countries including Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, as well as Palestinian territories and Israel.
Cruz said he left after some in the crowd expressed “bigotry and hatred” when he expressed his support for Israel.
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), however, who also attended the event, said Cruz was being deliberately confrontational and self-serving.
Cruz appeared to be reading from notes up until that point.
After the interruption, Cruz received more vocal boos after addressing the audience directly: “Let me say this, those who hate Israel, hate America. And those who hate Jews hate Christians. And if this room will not recognize that, then my heart weeps that the men and women here will not stand in solidarity with Jews and Christians alike who are persecuted by radicals who seek to murder them.”
After a number of other interruptions, an event organizer came to the stage and asked the crowd for “respect please, we are in America.”
Cruz then made a final statement and left the stage.
“I will say this, I am saddened to see that some here — not everyone — but some here are so consumed with hate that you cannot address your brother,” he said. “I will say this: If you will not stand with Israel and the Jews, then I will not stand with you. Thank you and God bless you.”
A full transcript is below:
Cruz: Good evening. Today we are gathered at a time of extraordinary challenge. Tonight we are all united in defense of Christians. Tonight we are all united in defense of Jews. Tonight we are all united in defense of people of good faith, who are standing together against those who would persecute and murder those who would dare disagree with their religious teachings.
Religious bigotry is a cancer with many manifestations. ISIS, al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas and their state sponsors like Syria and Iran are all engaged in a vicious genocidal campaign to destroy religious minorities in the Middle East. Sometimes we are told not to loop theses groups together, that we have to understand their so called nuances and differences. But we shouldn’t try to parse different manifestations of evil that are on a murderous rampage through the region. Hate is hate, and murder is murder. Our purpose here tonight is to highlight a terrible injustice, a humanitarian crisis. Christians are being systematically exterminated. In 1948, Jews throughout the Middle East faced murder and extermination and fled to the nation of Israel. And today, Christians have not greater ally than the Jewish state.
CRUZ: Let me say this, those who hate Israel, hate America. And those who hate Jews hate Christians. And if this room will not recognize that, then my heart weeps that the men and women here will not stand in solidarity with Jews and christians alike who are persecuted by radicals who seek to murder them.
If you hate the Jewish people, you are not reflecting the teachings of Christ. And the very same people who persecute and murder Christians right now, who crucify Christians, who behead children are the very same people who target and murder Jews for their faith for the same reason. I will say this. I am saddened …
EVENT ORGANIZER: Please respect, respect, respect for dialogue. Respect please, we are in America.
CRUZ: I will say this, I am saddened to see that some here — not everyone — but some here are so consumed with hate that you cannot address your brother. I will say this: If you will not stand with Israel and the Jews, then I will not stand with you. Thank you and God bless you.