Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) slammed the FAA’s decision to ban travel to Israel and the Obama administration’s decision to defend it Thursday on CNN.
Speaking with Wolf Blitzer on The Situation Room, Cruz said the FAA’s decision was "unprecedented," and he cited the FAA’s refusal to ban travel to other countries enduring strife as reason for why their behavior was "not evenhanded."
Cruz pointed out that the timing of the FAA’s travel ban is cause for question. "The timing wasn’t accidental. The timing was such that this ban was announced at the same time that John Kerry arrived in the Middle East, at the same time that John Kerry was announcing $47 million for Gaza," he said.
"What was the decision making that went into the Obama Administration imposing the ban…?" Cruz said he asked. He said that his question was met with "anger, dismissiveness, refusal to answer the question."
Cruz said it is "striking" that Marie Harf, a State Department spokeswoman, dismissed the question when it was first asked yesterday before proceeding to speak on behalf of the FAA. Harf appeared on CNN after Cruz and again dismissed Cruz's criticism.