Trump’s Pick for Ambassador to Israel Looks Forward to Serving in Jerusalem, Not Tel Aviv

David Friedman, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee as U.S. ambassador to Israel, said Thursday he looked forward to carrying out his duties “from the U.S. embassy in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem.”

The latest signal that Trump may – unlike predecessors from both parties – keep his campaign pledge to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Israel’s capital in line with U.S. law will not go down well with supporters of Palestinian statehood. Liberal Jewish groups were quick to protest.

In a statement naming his attorney and adviser to the campaign on Jewish issues as nominee to be the next ambassador to Israel, Trump did not himself mention the issue of the embassy’s location.

But Friedman expressed his intention “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.”

 

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