Jerusalem, Israel - Governor Ron DeSantis hit back at Disney on Thursday, accusing the "woke" theme park giant of angling for special treatment from his state.

Speaking in Israel as he continues an international trade trip, the Florida governor and potential Republican presidential candidate claimed he was only leveling the playing field when he launched a feud with the Sunshine state's biggest tourism draw, which is also one of the state's biggest private employers.

"They’re upset that they are actually having to live by the same rules as everybody else," DeSantis said in Jerusalem. "The days of putting one company on a pedestal with no accountability are over."

He denied punishing Disney over its opposition to his "don’t say gay" law, even though he has repeatedly cited the company’s supposedly progressive political views in explaining his anti-Disney campaign.

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"They’ve been treated much different from Universal, SeaWorld, and all these other places," DeSantis added, naming other well-known theme park owners.

DeSantis spoke out a day after Disney filed a federal lawsuit that the Republican presidential contender "orchestrated at every step" a campaign to punish Disney for its LGBTQ-friendly policies.

The suit accuses DeSantis of launching a "relentless campaign to weaponize government power" that threatens its ability to do business in Florida.

Republican rivals have blasted DeSantis, saying the fight reveals he is not a true pro-business conservative.

Former President Donald Trump mocked DeSantis for being "outsmarted by Mickey Mouse" after Disney pulled a last-minute legislative sleight of hand to keep control over most decision-making in a quasi-municipality it ran for decades before DeSantis pushed his own board.

The Florida feud threatened to overshadow what DeSantis had hoped would be a high-profile effort to burnish his foreign policy credentials and show off his support for Israel as he prepares for an expected Republican presidential run.

DeSantis vowed not to "butt into" Israel’s fierce domestic battle over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's effort to dramatically reduce the independence and power of the judiciary.