President Trump’s choice for Ambassador to Israel appears poised to be confirmed, after a Senate committee approved his nomination, clearing the way for a vote by the full Senate.
David Friedman, the Ambassador-Designate to Israel, won approval of the Senates Foreign Relations Committee on a nearly party-line vote Thursday, passing the 21-member committee with 12 votes to 9. All 11 of the committee’s Republicans backed Friedman, while just one Democrat, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez broke ranks to support Trump’s nominee. The remaining nine Democrats voted against the nomination.
Friedman’s nomination now goes to the full Senate, where he must win a simple majority. While no date for the confirmation vote has been announced, Friedman is widely expected to be confirmed, with Republicans holding 52 of the chamber’s 100 seats. With Senator Menendez’s support, Friedman could lose the backing of three Republican senators and still win with Vice President Mike Pence breaking the 50-50 tie.
The Yesha Council praised the development, calling Friedman “a true friend of Israel,” adding that he will be a great asset to Israeli-American relations.”