Trump Chooses Settlements Supporter as Ambassador to Israel
- David Friedman’s pick may signal major shift in U.S. policy
- Nominee opposes two-state solution, backs Israeli settlements
David Friedman with Donald and Ivanka Trump.
Photographer: Bradley C. Bower/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
President-elect Donald Trump nominated lawyer David Friedman as ambassador to Israel, choosing a trusted friend who opposes the two-state solution with Palestinians in a move that may herald a major shift in U.S. policy in the region.
Trump called Friedman a “long-time friend and trusted adviser to me” 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,” he said, in a reference to tensions between President Barack Obama’s administration and the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.