WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday said he plans to nominate as ambassador to Israel his lawyer, a hard-liner on the Middle East who has voiced opposition to decades of U.S. policy in the region. David Friedman, who served as one of Trump’s main advisers on Israel during the campaign, vowed to perform as a…
The Republican Jewish Coalition released the following statement from Executive Director Matt Brooks:
“The selection of Mr. David Friedman to serve as United States Ambassador to Israel sends a powerful signal to the Jewish community and the State of Israel that President-elect Trump’s administration will strengthen the bond between our two countries and advance the cause of peace within the region.
“We look forward to working with David and the entire Trump administration to cripple Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons through new and strengthened sanctions, move the U.S. embassy to the eternal capital of Israel, Jerusalem, and repair relations with our greatest ally in the Middle East that have eroded over the last eight years.”
In a fundraising letter, Jeremy Ben-Ami leader of J Street wrote:
Yesterday, the Trump transition team announced their choice for US ambassador to Israel.
They couldn’t have picked someone who stands more squarely against J Street and virtually everything we believe in.
David Friedman, the President of the pro-settlement organization American Friends of Beit El, has argued that Trump should back Israel’s annexation of large parts of the West Bank. He’s accused President Obama of being an anti-Semite.
And, he’s called J Street “worse than kapos.” If you’re not familiar with that term, Google it. It’s the kind of horrifically offensive rhetoric we’d expect from anonymous trolls online — not from the next Ambassador of the US to Israel.
This is a dark time, not only for J Street but for all Jews and Americans who care about Israel’s future as a democratic, Jewish homeland. …
To put it flatly, Trump has chosen an ambassador to Israel who has outright contempt for the values of the vast majority of American Jews. That’s unacceptable.
We’re going to fight this. We’re going to fight hard. We’re going to let every Senator know that if they care about Israel, the Palestinians and the values of their Jewish constituents, they MUST vote to block Friedman’s confirmation.
You’ll be hearing from us about actions you can take in the coming days….
Friedman has attacked us directly. He’s backed by Stephen Bannon, who oversaw a concerted smear campaign against us at Breitbart.
Soon, they’ll have the backing of the White House….
(Editor’s Note: We’ve admitted the appeals for financial donations from the above commentary)
Morton Klein, head of the Zionist Organization of America, wrote: My friend David Friedman has the potential to be the greatest US Ambassador to Israel ever. He thoroughly understands the detailed tragic reality of the Arab/Islamic war against Israel. He has a powerful grasp of Israel’s defense needs, the dangers they face, and the danger now of a Hamas/PA State. No previous ambassador appreciates the political, historic, legal, and religious rights of the Jews to Judea,Samaria, and Jerusalem like David. Yet he respects and understands the beliefs and hopes and dreams of the political left in Israel and America. This, in addition to his heartfelt love of Israel and all its people, makes him uniquely qualified for this position.
Americans for Peace Now issued the following statement:
Americans for Peace Now (APN) is alarmed by President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of David Friedman to be the United States’ next ambassador to Israel. Friedman’s choice sends an alarming message about the Trump administration’s role in advancing Israeli-Palestinian peace.
Trump repeatedly declared that he would like to broker a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians, but coupled with the President-elect’s statements about his intention to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, Friedman’s nomination is a destabilizing move, which only adds fuel to the Israeli-Palestinian fire.
Friedman opposes the two-state solution and thus breaks with longstanding bi-partisan U.S. policy on Israel, a policy that even Prime Minister Netanyahu endorses. David Friedman has called the two-state solution an “illusion,” an “anachronism,” and “a narrative that needs to end.” He recently said that he does not view Israeli West Bank settlements as an obstacle to peace.
Friedman opposes the very essence of APN’s values and mission. We oppose Friedman’s nomination. We will fight it both on Capitol Hill and in the public sphere.
Daniel Sokatch, CEO of the New Israel Fund, issued this statement:
Last night, the Trump transition team announced its choice for U.S. ambassador to Israel.
Their pick of bankruptcy attorney David Friedman is astonishing. He opposes the two-state solution, calls for more settlement construction, and thinks Israel tolerates too much free speech from its Arab citizens. This is also a man filled with contempt for progressive American Jews. Singling out our friends at J Street, he has called Jewish advocates of a two-state solution “worse than Kapos.”
All of this is going to put more pressure on Israeli NGOs to hold bad policies at bay.
Until now, the United States had always sought to help Israel make peace with its neighbors. Democratic and Republican administrations alike have always understood that the occupation is a moral burden and a strategic danger. And the USA has always spoken up in defense of democratic values, including the need to protect human rights and minority rights.
This announcement reinforces our worst fears about how a President Trump will relate to Israel. And I can tell you that this nomination will not sail through the Senate without a fight.
Whether or not this nomination goes through, one thing is clear: The need for Israeli civil society organizations to speak up for democracy, for an end to the occupation, and for civil and human rights just got more important. And they will need our help to be stronger, louder, and more effective.