President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Israel took a sober tone Thursday, as David Friedman, labeled a firebrand in the run-up to his confirmation hearing, moderated his views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and repeatedly expressed regret over inflammatory comments he made in the past.
Friedman, a bankruptcy lawyer by trade, told lawmakers on the Foreign Relations Committee that he does not support Israeli annexation of the West Bank and expressed measured support for a two-state solution, rolling back past criticism of it.
“A two-state solution, if it could be achieved, would bring tremendous benefits to both the Israelis and the Palestinians,” Friedman said. “I have expressed my skepticism about the two-state solution solely on the basis of what I’ve perceived as an unwillingness on the part of the Palestinians to renounce terror and accept Israel as a Jewish state.”
“That, in my view, is a foundational problem, but I think it can be remedied,” he said.
He later agreed that the expansion of settlements into new territories “may not be helpful,” echoing Trump’s words.
Friedman spent much of the hearing apologizing, often at the behest of Democratic senators, for a range of derogatory remarks he made about Jewish groups and political officials. Those remarks include a description of J Street supporters as “kapos,” and leaders of the Anti-Defamation League as “morons.”
“There is no excuse. If you want me to rationalize it or justify it, I cannot,” Friedman said in response to questioning from ranking member Ben Cardin. “These were hurtful words and I deeply regret them. They’re not reflective of my nature of my character.”
Cardin responded: “You were accusing the Democratic leader [Sen. Chuck Schumer] of validating the worst appeasements of terrorism since Munich. Those words just are beyond hurtful. Sen. Schumer is one of the champions on these causes.”
Friedman later said that he had spoken with and apologized to those he offended, including lawmakers, reform rabbis, and the head of the Anti-Defamation League. The ADL issued a statement during the hearing accepting the apology.
Still, Friedman’s contrition did not shield him from criticism, with New Mexico senator Tom Udall describing him as a “bomb-thrower” and arguing that the ambassador-nominee frequently labels those who disagree with him anti-Semites.
“President Reagan said that settlement activity was ‘in no way necessary for the security of Israel,'” Udall said. “I wonder were President Reagan here today, would Mr. Friedman label him anti-Semitic?”
Florida senator Marco Rubio took issue with the Democrats’ line of questioning and condemned groups that he said were fueling the effort to discredit Friedman.
“I find this whole process to be unreal, this sort-of ordeal you’re being put through to account for all these words, in particular given some of the groups that are ratcheting all this up,” Rubio said. “For example, this group J Street … this is a group that has routinely attacked people who hold my views, with content that I find to be a smear.”
J Street has aggressively campaigned agains
Other groups including Christians United for Israel and the Republican Jewish Coalition are rallying in support of Friedman using digital and print advertisements.
The hearing comes on the heels of a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump, in which Trump indicated that he would be open to a solution beyond that of two states, so long as it is accepted by both sides.
