The Democratic members of the influential House Foreign Affairs Committee sent a letter to U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman expressing concern of a “dangerous effort to politicize the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
The letter dated May 28 was first reported by the Jewish Insider politics website.
The six committee members said in the letter that contrary to statements Friedman gave in an interview with Axios last week, no Democratic members of Congress were invited by the White House to participate in the U.S. Embassy transfer ceremony in Jerusalem earlier this month.
“We believe it is essential that you, as an American diplomat, have the full set of facts so that your interactions with your Israeli host government don’t leave them with a mistaken impression,” the letter said. “We would deeply regret if the government of Israel was left with the mistaken impression that Democratic lawmakers chose not to attend the event.”
On previous occasions of importance to the U.S. and Israel, the letter noted, the White House organized bipartisan participation.
It was signed by Jewish Reps. Eliot Engel, Ted Deutch, Brad Sherman, and Brad Schneider, as well as Albio Sires and Tom Suozzi.
The letter asked Friedman to provide the House committee with any communications he received or sent regarding the participation of American dignitaries in the embassy events.
The closest thing to a prominent Democrat in attendance at the ceremony was former Sen. Joe Lieberman (Independent-CT), who was Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2000 before being rejected by his party in 2006 for his support of the Iraq War.
Two journalists asked the Republican Senators why no Democrats had come. Sen. Cruz answered: “That is a sad, sad manifestation — I wish we had every member of Congress here … every member of Congress had the option before them to come.”
Breitbart spoke with Sen. Graham who said that no one, Republican or Democrat, had been specifically invited to the ceremony, and that only Republicans had come of their own volition.
“It’s not for me to tell you what that says,” Graham said. “It hurts me.”
He noted that the absence of Democrats sent a dangerous message that Americans were not united in their support for Israel.