Ron DeSantis Claims Palestinian Arabs Have Turned Bethlehem Into a 'Pigsty' During Campaign Q&A

Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis sparked controversy during a recent speech, wherein he described Bethlehem, under Palestinian Arab control, as a "pigsty," RadarOnline.com has learned.

The remarks came during a Q&A session at the Thanksgiving Family Forum, with DeSantis emphasizing the significance of America's alliance with Israel.

When asked why America should support Israel, DeSantis provided several reasons.

He highlighted Israel as the United States' sole tried and true ally in the Middle East, citing their shared democratic values. DeSantis also stressed the strong economic and cultural ties between both nations, which have persisted for over 75 years.

DeSantis went on to underscore the historical and religious significance of Israel to Western civilization. He argued that the Holy Land, where the entirety of Western civilization originated, is based on the Judeo-Christian tradition.

According to the Florida governor, thousands of years of history recorded in the Bible played a crucial role in the birth of the United States of America.

The Republican candidate argued that Israel's control over holy sites is essential to protect religious freedom. He stated that the freedom to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and visit sacred places from the Old Testament would not be possible if Israel were not responsible for their preservation.

According to Mediaite, DeSantis suggested that the Palestinian Arabs, who control Bethlehem, would oppose such freedom.

Describing Bethlehem, DeSantis did not hold back, stating that the city is poorly maintained and unclean, resembling a "pigsty." He further criticized the construction of a massive mosque in close proximity to the church, believed to be the birthplace of Christ.

DeSantis argued that this mosque was intentionally built to overshadow and diminish the importance of the Christian holy site.

This isn't the first time DeSantis stirred up controversy surrounding his comments on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

As RadarOnline.com previously reported, DeSantis expressed his opposition to allowing Palestinian refugees fleeing Gaza to enter the United States, arguing that neighboring Arab nations should open their borders and absorb them instead.

Governor DeSantis cited antisemitism as the main reason for his position. He claimed that refugees from Gaza do not believe in Israel's right to exist, making them unfit to be accepted as refugees in the United States.

In a video posted online, he stated, "I am not going to do that. If you look at how they behave, not all of them are Hamas, but they are all antisemitic. None of them believe in Israel's right to exist."

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DeSantis also got into a heated exchange with a New Hampshire businessman over his condemnation of Palestinians while on the campaign trail.

The local told the Florida Governor, "I see hundreds of Palestinian families that are dead, and they have nowhere to go because they can’t leave Gaza because no one’s opening their borders."

DeSantis asked, "Why aren’t these Arab countries willing to absorb some of the Palestinian Arabs?"

The business owner walked out of the venue out of frustration as he told DeSantis, "You had my vote, but you don’t now."