Trump names David Friedman as new ambassador to Israel

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will nominate attorney David Friedman as U.S. ambassador to Israel, the transition team said in a statement Thursday.

"The bond between Israel and the United States runs deep, and I will ensure there is no daylight between us when I’m president," Trump said in the statement.

"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."

Friedman, 57, who specializes in litigation and bankruptcy law, was one of Trump's Israel advisers during the election campaign. He is a known advocate of the Judea and Samaria settlement enterprise.

In the statement issued Thursday, Friedman said: "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. 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."

The U.S. Embassy, as well as virtually all other foreign embassies in Israel, is located in Tel Aviv. During the presidential campaign, Trump had pledged to move it to Jerusalem, a move almost certain to spark objections from Muslims around the world.

Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East adviser to Republican and Democratic administrations, said Friedman’s nomination "was designed to send a signal that there will be significant break in tone, style and perhaps substance from the Obama administration" in its handling of the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Right-wing MKs welcomed Friedman’s nomination.

Likud MK Yehuda Glick said, "We send our warm regards to the next U.S. ambassador in Israel. David Friedman is a true friend to Israel and a lover of Jerusalem."

Habayit Hayehudi leader Naftali Bennett tweeted, "Good luck to David Friedman, the new U.S. ambassador to Israel. He is a great friend to Israel."

Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, said Friedman "has the potential to be the greatest U.S. ambassador to Israel ever. He has a powerful grasp of Israel’s defense needs, the dangers they face, and the danger now of a Hamas-Palestinian Authority State. No previous ambassador appreciates the political, historic, legal, and religious rights of the Jews to Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem like David."

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