Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz walked off the stage at an In Defense of Christians event in Washington on Wednesday night amid jeers and boos during a speech on middle east Christians.

After saying “Christians have no greater ally than the  Israel state,” members of the audience began jeering the senator. Shouts of “Stop it” and “Leave the stage” could be heard coming from members of the sold out crowd. He continued to speak over the boos, but the audience grew louder when he said, “Those who hate Israel hate America, and those who hate Jews hate America.”

The keynote speaker and possible Republican candidate for the presidency in 2016 then told the audience there, “I will say this — I am saddened…” at that point another event member came to the stage in an effort to quell the crowd. Then Cruz continued, saying “I am saddened to say that some here, not everyone, but some here … are so consumed with hate.”

He concluded his truncated speech by saying,  “If you will not stand with Israel and the Jews, then I will not stand with you,”  then turned and walked off the stage.

He said after the event, that a “corrosive evil” reared it ugly head at the event.

  boo, christians, event, jeers, nation, senator, ted cruz, Texas