WASHINGTON: Hillary Clinton launched a withering attack on Republican front-runner Donald Trump on Monday at an appearance before thousands of Jewish voters, saying America’s next president cannot be “neutral” when it comes to Israel.

Clinton’s broadside, in which she implored to the crowd, “If you see a bully, stand up to him,” comes as perhaps hundreds of people attending Washington’s most influential pro-Israel lobby’s annual conference, including rabbis, plan to walk out in protest when Trump takes the stage.

“We need steady hands, not a president who says he’s neutral on Monday, pro-Israel on Tuesday, and who knows what on Wednesday, because everything’s negotiable,” the Democratic front-runner told more than 15,000 attendees at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee confab.

“My friends, Israel’s security is non-negotiable.” US presidential hopefuls routinely make pilgrimages to AIPAC during an election year. Republicans Ted Cruz, John Kasich and Trump all are scheduled to address the powerful pro-Israel lobby’s confab later on Monday.

Trump, who hails from New York, has raised eyebrows in the Jewish community for stressing he wanted to be a neutral broker and not take “sides” between Israel and the Palestinians when it came to peace talks.

In a December debate, the billionaire real estate magnate described the Israel-Palestinian relationship as “the toughest negotiation there probably is of any kind.” He has also set off alarm bells with his rhetoric about Muslims, Mexicans and refugees, and his refusal to directly demand an end to violent skirmishes which keep breaking out at his campaign rallies between protesters and his supporters.

Clinton stressed the importance of “electing a president with a deep personal commitment to Israel’s future. “ “It would be a serious mistake for the United States to abandon our responsibilities or cede the mantle of leadership for global peace and security to anyone else,” Clinton said.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2016