While the American Reform Movement has rejected the Ambassador-Designate to Israel, David Friedman, President Trump’s choice for top US diplomat to Israel has gained the backing of a prominent Orthodox organization, the Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), which endorsed Friedman on Sunday.
Declaring Friedman a “patriotic American” with an “intimate knowledge of the State of Israel”, the CJV called upon the Senate to confirm Friedman.
“The Coalition for Jewish Values commends President Trump on his nomination of David Friedman as the next United States Ambassador to Israel, and enthusiastically urges the United States Senate to confirm him at the earliest opportunity,” the group said in a statement.
“Mr. Friedman is uniquely qualified to implement the President’s vision for the security of Israel and stability in the Middle East.”
Radical anti-Israel activists attempted to shut down a confirmation hearing held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last Thursday, interrupting Friedman no less than six times.
Friedman drew criticism during the hearing from left-wing Democrats, including former Vice Presidential hopeful Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) and Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), who attacked his past criticism of President Obama and skepticism regarding the viability of the two-state solution.
On Friday, the Union for Reform Judaism denounced Friedman’s nomination, warning he could cause a “rift” between the US and Israel.
Earlier, the far-left J Street organization called upon senators to reject Friedman’s nomination, labelling him “a friend of the settlement movement who backs unlimited settlement expansion.”
In its statement Sunday, the CJV slammed what it called the “relentless attacks on Mr. Friedman”, noting many emanated from groups affiliated with the Reform Movement or opposed to the Trump administration.
“It is surreal that Mr. Friedman has been assailed for his support of the right of Jews to settle in Judea, whence the very word ‘Jew’ is derived. Mr. Friedman brings an honest and realistic approach to Middle East diplomacy, something that has been missing for decades, and will be a breath of fresh air in the stultified halls of international diplomacy.”