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Home Front: Politix
U.S. ambassador to Israel is rebuked (by partisans) for reported partisan remarks
2018-06-02
[SanDiegoUnionTribune] President Trump's ambassador to Israel has riled congressional Democrats for what they say is an effort to "politicize" the U.S.-Israeli relationship. David Friedman, who was formerly one of Trump's bankruptcy lawyers, was quoted in an Israeli newspaper as saying Republicans were a better friend to Israel than Democrats.
the truth hurts
He was apparently basing that opinion, at least in part, on the Trump administration's decision to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the disputed holy city of Jerusalem, as Israel wanted.
and all previous Preznits promised, but didn't deliver
Truly. Israel annexed the Old City after they conquered it in the 1967 Six Day War. Others may be disputing it, but it nonetheless has been annexed. And, ya know, every other country in the world houses embassies in their capitols, with consulates elsewhere in the country as needed, not the reverse.
The move reversed decades of U.S. policy and international consensus, and angered the Arab world and American allies in Europe. As part of the controversial decision, Trump also declared Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel. The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state. "There's no question Republicans support Israel more than Democrats," Friedman told the Times of Israel.

He said that he wanted the issue of U.S.-Israeli relations to be bipartisan, and would work to keep it that way, but that a "large Democratic constituency" was "not pro-Israel."

Democrats, he said, refuse to acknowledge "that they have not been able to create support within their constituency for Israel at the same levels that the Republicans have."

Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin of Maryland on Friday became the latest of several Democrats, including some who are Jewish, to denounce Friedman's comments. They demand that his remarks be investigated and perhaps even that Friedman be recalled.

The ambassador's statements were "wrong, insensitive, and demonstrate his ill-preparedness to be a suitable diplomat to one of our most important allies and friends in the world," Cardin said.

A senior member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, Cardin said the remarks represented a "troubling and unfortunate setback" for the pursuit of peace in the Middle East. Democrats
Rep. Eliot L. Engel of New York, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Relations Committee, branded Friedman's statements "outrageous." "Diplomacy and partisan politics are incompatible," Engel said. "If Mr. Friedman doesn't understand that, he should come home."
"Except when Democrats do it"
Rep. Sander M. Levin (D-Mich.) said the ambassador's "harmful" words undermine "the necessary efforts to sustain bipartisan support for Israel's security."
Posted by:Frank G

#1  It goes back to this:

Why Democrats and Republicans are fighting over the Jerusalem embassy bash

[IsraelTimes] US Ambassador David Friedman insists all were welcome, but pro-Israel Democrats say they weren't invited.

Days before the May 14 opening, the White House announced that the US delegation to the ceremony would include a relatively short list of six: Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan would lead a celebration that included Friedman; Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin; Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump’s daughter and adviser; Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and adviser; and Jason Greenblatt, Trump’s top Middle East negotiator. All but Sullivan are Jewish.

Also attending were 10 Republicans from the House Armed Services Committee and four Republican senators, who went of their own volition. All the senators are known for their closeness to the positions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Ted Cruz of Texas, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Dean Heller of Nevada, and Mike Lee of Utah. Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who is running for the Republican nod for Senate in his state, was there, too.

Who was and wasn’t on hand quickly became political thanks to Cruz, who was quoted by The Times of Israel as saying on the morning of the event, “I don’t know why the Democrats will not be here, chose not to come. Every member of Congress had the option before them to come and be here. There was no way on earth we could have inaugurated this embassy without my being here to celebrate it. It’s too important.”

Friedman subsequently told Axios a week later, on May 23, that he would have been glad to assist any Congress member who wanted to come.

“We would have been delighted to host as many Democratic congressmen and senators as would have come,” he said, adding that the absence of Democrats “concerned” him. “The invitation was open to all, or I should actually say we made it clear that everybody was welcome. We didn’t specifically invite anyone. The Republican congressmen and senators who came, did not come on the basis of a specific invitation. They reached out and they came.”

[Some Democratic congresscritters] argument was that the White House should have — as other administrations have done before when planning Israel outings — assembled a delegation that included Congress members from both parties.

“On many previous occasions of importance to the United States and Israel, such as funerals or other national ceremonies, the White House has organized bipartisan participation of members of Congress,” they said.
Posted by: trailing wife   2018-06-02 11:18  

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