The Forward‘s Nathan Guttman reports that some Israel partisans favor the appointment of David Friedman as US ambassador to Israel, while other Israel partisans oppose him:
For the Jewish left, Friedman appointment has quickly emerged as a banner for rallying troops already concerned with the impact the Trump presidency will have on the Israeli – Palestinian conflict. On the right, Trump’s choice of a pro-settlement bankruptcy lawyer as chief envoy to Israel is seen as ushering in a new era of settlement expansion and changing the fundamentals of American policy toward the conflict.
Guttman reports that the following Israel partisans support Friedman, who has given millions of dollars to radical West Bank settlers [Editor’s note: Jewish-only settlements are erected on confiscated Palestinian land and are illegal under international law]:
• Oded Revivi, spokesman for the settlement council Yesha
• Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America
The following Israel partisans oppose him:
• Former ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer
• J Street
• Democratic Congressman Jerrold Nadler from New York
• Democratic Congressman John Yarmuth from Kentucky
Guttman reports that Friedman met with members of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in New York in December but doesn’t say whether or not they endorse him.
[Photo from The Forward]
