JERUSALEM (AP) – Hillary Clinton sought to assure Israelis that she would a stronger ally than her rival Donald Trump, saying that the Islamic State militant group is praying to let Trump win the presidency.
Clinton’s interview, set to air Thursday night on Israeli Channel 2 TV, comes as both candidates worked to tout their national security credentials just two months ahead of the election. Clinton also defended President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran as one that is good for the Jewish state.
The Democratic nominee took aim at Trump’s critical comments about Muslims, saying he has played into the hands of IS supporters. She referred to an essay written by Matt Olsen, the former National Counterterrorism Center director, who has argued that by making the Muslim religion a campaign issue, he has given jihadists a great gift.
“They are saying, ‘Please Allah. Make Trump president of America,'” she said in excerpts released ahead of the full interview.
“So, I am not interested in giving aid and comfort to their evil ambitions,” she added, vowing to defeat the extremist group. “I don’t want them to feel as if though they can be getting more recruits because of our politics.”