Republican candidates clash at US presidential debate
During the twelfth US Republican presidential debate, the candidates clashed over a host of key issues, including foreign policy, Islam, foreign worker visas and social welfare.
During the debate, which was held on Thursday near Miami, Florida, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump defended his claim that "Islam hates us."
Trump stirred up fresh controversy on Wednesday when he said in an interview with CNN, "I think Islam hates us."
When debate moderator Jake Tapper asked Trump to clarify those remarks and whether he was referring to all Muslims, Trump responded: "I mean a lot of them."
"There's tremendous hatred and I will stick with exactly what I said," he said.
US Senator Marco Rubio, who is struggling to keep his campaign alive, jumped in to criticize Trump. Rubio argued it's not presidential to say things without thinking through the consequences.
Ted Cruz, who is currently in second place in the GOP presidential race, hit Trump over previous comments that he wants to remain "neutral" about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict so he could broker a deal as president.
The US Senator from Texas also sought to bolster his own pro-Israel credentials, insisting he "will not be neutral" as president.
Trump rejected the criticism, saying, "There is nobody on this stage more pro-Israel than I am."
"I will say I'm pro-Israel," Trump said. "But I would at least like to have the other side think I'm somewhat neutral as to them so we can maybe get a deal done."
Trump, who has never held elected office, is leading the race despite the fact that his campaign has been marked by controversial statements, including with disparaging remarks about Mexican immigrants and Muslims.
He created a furor in the US and around the world by proposing a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims” entering the United States, following a mass shooting in California.
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