Good Morning America :
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for the next U.S. Ambassador to Israel is drawing wide-ranging reactions from jubilant praise to heated criticism.
Trump’s choice, David Friedman, holds distinctly conservative views in direct opposition to long-standing U.S. policy positions. Friedman opposes a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, actively supports Israeli settlements and advocates for Israel’s annexation of the West Bank, maintaining that the occupied Palestinian Territories are not occupied.
Most notably, he also wants to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thus recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a disputed city of which both Israelis and Palestinians claim ownership. Jerusalem is home to the Israeli legislature, the Knesset, and the Israeli Prime Minister’s office.
Friedman, who has no career experience with either policy or diplomacy, is an Orthodox Jewish lawyer who advised Trump during the campaign. A close friend and confidant of Trump, he specialized in bankruptcy law and represented Trump in his investments in Atlantic City casinos.
He serves as one of the co-chairmen of the Israel Advisory Committee to Trump, alongside Jason Greenblatt, another Orthodox Jewish lawyer from New York City.
In an op-ed Friday in Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, its U.S. editor Chemi Shalev argued that Friedman “makes Netanyahu seem like a left-wing defeatist.” (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office had yet to comment on Trump’s pick.)
Netanyahu’s main political rival, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, wished Friedman good luck Friday, describing him as “a great friend of Israel.”
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely “welcomed” the nomination of Friedman on her Facebook page Friday, describing it as “good news for Israel.”
Among those who have also congratulated Friedman is the Zionist Organization of America, whose president, Morton Klein, said Friedman has “the potential to be the greatest U.S. ambassador to Israel ever.”
Matt Brooks, executive director of the lobbying group Republican Jewish Coalition, tweeted “great choice!”
“David is someone who understands the President’s vision and will strengthen the US-Israel relationship,” Brooks wrote.
How a Trump Administration Could Reshape the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
But not everyone is thrilled with Trump’s choice, which requires Senate confirmation.
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for the next U.S. Ambassador to Israel is drawing wide-ranging reactions from jubilant praise to heated criticism.
Trump’s choice, David Friedman, holds distinctly conservative views in direct opposition to long-standing U.S. policy positions. Friedman opposes a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, actively supports Israeli settlements and advocates for Israel’s annexation of the West Bank, maintaining that the occupied Palestinian Territories are not occupied.
Most notably, he also wants to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thus recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a disputed city of which both Israelis and Palestinians claim ownership. Jerusalem is home to the Israeli legislature, the Knesset, and the Israeli Prime Minister’s office.
Friedman, who has no career experience with either policy or diplomacy, is an Orthodox Jewish lawyer who advised Trump during the campaign. A close friend and confidant of Trump, he specialized in bankruptcy law and represented Trump in his investments in Atlantic City casinos.
He serves as one of the co-chairmen of the Israel Advisory Committee to Trump, alongside Jason Greenblatt, another Orthodox Jewish lawyer from New York City.
In an op-ed Friday in Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, its U.S. editor Chemi Shalev argued that Friedman “makes Netanyahu seem like a left-wing defeatist.” (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office had yet to comment on Trump’s pick.)
Netanyahu’s main political rival, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, wished Friedman good luck Friday, describing him as “a great friend of Israel.”
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely “welcomed” the nomination of Friedman on her Facebook page Friday, describing it as “good news for Israel.”
Among those who have also congratulated Friedman is the Zionist Organization of America, whose president, Morton Klein, said Friedman has “the potential to be the greatest U.S. ambassador to Israel ever.”
Matt Brooks, executive director of the lobbying group Republican Jewish Coalition, tweeted “great choice!”
“David is someone who understands the President’s vision and will strengthen the US-Israel relationship,” Brooks wrote.
How a Trump Administration Could Reshape the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
But not everyone is thrilled with Trump’s choice, which requires Senate confirmation.
