The Senate voted 52-46 Thursday to confirm David Friedman as President Trump’s first ambassador to Israel.
Friedman’s nomination was relatively controversial, and he didn’t have the support of Democrats throughout the Senate process.
In the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he was approved in a 12-9 vote, and the only Democrat to support him there was Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J.
Just before the final confirmation vote, he was advanced in a 52-46 vote, and only Menendez and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., voted in favor.
Democrats for weeks now have argued that Friedman, who has been one of Trump’s lawyers, holds views on Israel that are too controversial to take the post. For example, he has expressed support for West Bank settlements that Democrats say are making it harder for Israel and the Palestinian Authority to reach a lasting peace deal.
In his committee hearing, Friedman apologized for comparing people at J Street, a left-leaning Jewish group, to “kapos,” which is the term for Jews who aided Nazis.
But Democrats continued to press those points in Thursday debate just before he was confirmed.
Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., charged that Friedman is not the right nominee to help find a peace agreement. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., said Friedman has no diplomatic experience.
