During a question and answer session at a campaign stop in West Columbia, S.C. on Thursday, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton declined to reprimand an audience member who asserted that Israel is an apartheid state.
The questioner, who was one of about 400 people in attendance at Brookland Baptist Church, asked Clinton about her position on homelessness, criminal justice reform, and, finally, U.S. support for Israel.
“My third question is about Israel,” she began. “We spend too much money, $6 billion dollars to Israel, funding apartheid. There is not the shared values that we are supposed to share with Israel.”
The notoriously careful Clinton avoided disagreeing with the woman’s assertion and sidestepped U.S.-Israeli relations altogether.
“Well let me tackle your questions,” Clinton began before addressing the homeless problem.
Clinton’s apparent aversion to the question highlights a hurdle she’s likely to face as the presidential campaign unfolds. Many on the left are critical of Israel, claiming that its policies are unfair to Palestinians. But plenty of Democrats, while liberal on social issues, support a strong U.S.-Israel alliance. Clinton appealed to that faction earlier this month when she sent a letter to Haim Saban, a longtime ally and big Democratic donor, assuring him that she condemns the anti-Israel Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS) movement.
During Thursday’s event, which was held in front of a majority-black audience, Clinton reiterated her support for the “Black lives matter” movement.
Asked by an audience member about police brutality against minorities, Clinton said, “I think we first have to acknowledge and believe that black lives matter.”
“This is not just a slogan,” she added. “This should be a guiding principle. We have to also acknowledge we have some serious problems with race and justice and systemic racism which unfortunately is often all to present.”
Clinton got into trouble last month when she said on the campaign trail in Missouri that “all lives matter.”
WATCH: