President-elect Donald J. Trump on Thursday announced the nomination of Mr. David Friedman to serve as the United States Ambassador to Israel.
Mr. Friedman, a renowned attorney who has been counselor to some of the world’s top businessmen and companies, was one of the President-elect’s principal advisors on the US-Israel relationship during the campaign.
The 57-year-old, who hails from Long Island, is an Orthodox Jew.
Speaking at the Saban Forum in December, Friedman went further, stunning liberal American Jews by saying the Trump administration would freeze out J Street, the left-leaning, pro-Israel lobby group based in Washington, D.C., which has been influential in recent years. In previous interviews, Friedman called the organization “far worse than kapos,” a highly insulting Yiddish word for Jews who collaborated with the Nazis during World War II.
Friedman is the president of American Friends of Beit El Yeshiva, whose offices are located in Forest Hills, New York.
He has been married for 35 years to Tammy Sand of Miami Beach, Florida. In addition to their home in Woodmere, they own a residence in the affluent Jerusalem neighborhood of Talbiyeh, where they typically spend the Yomim Tovim along with their children and grandchildren twice a year.
When Israel proclaimed itself an independent republic in 1948, the United States was the first country to extend formal recognition of the new government. From that moment forward, the two nations have enjoyed a special relationship based on mutual respect and a dedication to freedom and democracy.
With Mr. Friedman’s nomination, President-elect Trump expressed his commitment to further enhancing the US-Israel relationship and ensuring there will be extraordinary strategic, technological, military and intelligence cooperation between the two countries.
“The bond between Israel and the United States runs deep, and I will ensure there is no daylight between us when I’m President,” said President-elect Trump. “As the United States’ Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman will maintain the special relationship between our two countries. He has been a long-time friend and trusted advisor to me. His strong relationships in Israel will form the foundation of his diplomatic mission and be a tremendous asset to our country as we strengthen the ties with our allies and strive for peace in the Middle East. Nothing is more critical than protecting the security of our citizens at home and abroad.”
Mr. Friedman, whose bar mitzvah was held at the Western Wall in Jerusalem 45 years ago, is a fluent speaker of Hebrew and a lifelong student of Israel’s history. On Thursday, he expressed his resolve to be a rock-solid partner with the Israeli leadership as our two countries seek to advance our mutual interests and keep our people safe.
“I am deeply honored and humbled by the confidence placed in me by President-elect Trump to represent the United States as its Ambassador to Israel,” said Mr. Friedman. “I intend to work tirelessly to strengthen the unbreakable bond between our two countries and advance the cause of peace within the region, and look forward to doing this from the U.S. embassy in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem.”
Mr. Friedman is a founding partner of Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP, a national law firm with approximately 350 attorneys. For the past 35 years, he has specialized in litigation and bankruptcy law, playing a leading role in restructuring many of the nation’s most complex financial and business operations. Mr. Friedman has been widely recognized for his outstanding contributions to the legal profession, and has been named one of the 500 leading lawyers in the United States.
Mr. Friedman has been a generous philanthropist to Jewish causes, including United Hatzalah of Israel, a nationwide volunteer service of first responders providing aid to all injured Israelis, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity, and Aleh Negev, one of the world’s most advanced facilities for the care of severely disabled children.
Under his leadership and at the President-elect’s direction, the US-Israel relationship will be a model of cooperation and respect.
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11 Responses
Very nice, but it pays to review a bit of factual history.
In international law, there are two levels of recognition of a newly formed state – de facto (it happens to be there, basically), and de jure (official legal recognition of the state and its lawful government)
The United States was the first country that recognized Israel, but only de facto. Who would now believe that the very second country, following the US, was Iran!!! Yes, Iran, which had voted against the partition, recognized the State of Israel almost immediately. Don’t remind the ayatollahs of that fact, else there won’t be enough cardiologists in Tehran.
The first de jure (fullest) recognition of Israel was on May 17th, by the Soviet Union, obviously followed by its satellite/vassal states. Stalin, the great antisemite, had political, rather than humanitarian, reasons. Nonetheless, due to his acknowledgment, Israel was able to procure weapons needed for its war of independence, from Czechoslovakia, which was under Moscow’s domination, while the US had for decades refused to sell Israel a single bullet.
The United States had formally and officially recognized Israel only on January 31,1949, following the first Israeli elections.
How the world has changed.
I wish Mr. Friedman tremendous Hatzlacha. Hopefully he will be Mikadesh Shem Shomayim. What a breath of fresh air, from the current self hating, Palestinian sympathizer that Obama plugged in there.
His father is one of the pioneers in establishing Torah Mosdos and Shul’s in the Five towns and Far Rockaway particularly Yeshiva Toras Chaim of South Shore and Yeshiva Sh’or Yoshuv
Hatzlacha and Mazal Tov.
However, if confirmed, it’ll be Rex Tillerson as State Dept Sect. and it’s he that’ll set policy.
I’m concerned about Tillerson.
A giant oil exec with interests all over the globe especially the Arab states, was on some think tank which included Zbigniew Brzezinski the arch anti-Semite and Israel hater. Former State Dept. Sect. James Baker pushed and gushed all over him. Baker, the guy who once told Bush ” Blank the Jews.. They don’t vote for us anyway.”
Who is this Tillerson?
A “minor” correction- J Steet is NOT pro Israel, it is VERY VERY far from that! You must’ve meant to say pro-Palestinian.
Anti-Israel Mattis and Arab Oil Tillerson will call all the shots. Friedman is just getting a little payback for being loyal to Trumo for all these years. Trump himself probably couldn’t find Israel on a map even if he tried.
Was this a news article, editorial or a press release by the Trump Transition Team or a combination of both. Friedman is clearly an outstanding lawyer and a strong supporter of EY but there are portions of this article/release that are more in in the nature of an editorial than objective news story.
Baruch Shehechiyanu, v’Kiyemanu, v’Higiyanu laZeman haZeh!
is he a shomer shabbos???
We’re in Golus still
And the title is misleading. Friedman is an orthodox yid b”H. Shomer Shabbos makes him sound like he’s super-traditional or something. If I remember right, he was president of HAFTR for a while too, among other tzibbur-dig positions.