Pick for envoy to Israel vague about ‘inflammatory’ comments
WASHINGTON— David Friedman, the combative bankruptcy lawyer U.S. President Donald Trump tapped as his envoy to Israel, said Thursday he regretted using “inflammatory rhetoric” during the divisive 2016 presidential campaign, but didn’t specify which remarks he apologized for.
Friedman told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during his confirmation hearing that his use of incendiary and hurtful comments is “entirely over” and he recognized the discretion the post requires.
“I regret the use of such language and I want to assure you that I understand the important difference between a political contest and a diplomatic mission,” he said. “Partisan rhetoric is rarely if ever appropriate in achieving diplomatic progress, especially in a sensitive and strife-torn region like the Middle East.”
But Friedman’s apology didn’t convince the committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland.
“I am having difficulty with the language you have used,” Cardin said.
Friedman had called J Street, a liberal Jewish advocacy group, “worse than kapos,” a reference to Jews who helped the Nazis imprison fellow Jews during the Holocaust.
J Street worked with the Obama administration and is critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Five former U.S. ambassadors to Israel who are opposing Friedman’s nomination said he accused President Barack Obama and the State Department of anti-Semitism. They have urged the committee to carefully consider his nomination.
Friedman told the committee he’s skeptical a two-state solution can succeed because Palestinians haven’t renounced terrorism and have refused to accept Israel as a Jewish state. But he said he would be “delighted” if it were possible to establish an independent Palestinian state.