New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie apologized to casino mogul Sheldon Adelson for referring to the "occupied territories" during a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition on Saturday, according to a source familiar with the conversation.
At the organization's spring meeting, Christie -- in a bid to connect with the audience by referencing a trip to Israel -- said: "I took a helicopter ride from the occupied territories across, and just felt personally how extraordinary that was, to understand the military risk that Israel faces every day."
When Christie made the remark Saturday, it set off murmurs through the crowd. Many supporters of Israel object to using the phrase "occupied territories" to refer to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.