Rice University political scientist Mark Jones comments in a Hearst story today about Rick Perry attacking President Obama about his Israeli policy.

Rick Perry attacks Obama’s policy on Israel
Amanda Sakuma, Hearst Washington Bureau

Excerpt:

Texas Gov. Rick Perry ignited a political firestorm Tuesday by declaring that President Obama had pushed U.S.-Israeli relations to “the precipice” via “naive and arrogant, misguided and dangerous” policies.

Appearing with American Jewish leaders and Israeli political figures at a hotel in midtown Manhattan, the Republican presidential candidate decried the Obama administration’s approach to the Middle East as a “policy of appeasement” and “a dangerous insult” to Americans and Israelis alike. …

Mark Jones, chairman of the political science department at Rice University, said Perry’s comments could help him attract Christian conservative voters in the 2012 GOP nominating contest.

“Being a hawk on Israel allows him to simultaneously engage in an at least a modest level of activity in the foreign policy arena while currying favor with a crucial voting bloc within the Republican primary electorate,” said Jones.