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Trump Taps Hardliner to Be U.S. Ambassador to Israel

Foreign Policy: President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be the next U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, promises a complete change of tack in U.S.-Israeli relations. Friedman’s selection has thrilled Israeli right-wingers — who welcome his unforgiving stance on contentious issues like settlements — but has worried more moderate Israelis and some U.S.-based advocacy organizations.

Friedman, a New York attorney who worked with Trump on some of his casino investments, has taken the Obama administration to the woodshed and pushed for more hawkish policies in Israel. He has accused the Obama administration of “blatant anti-semitism” for not sufficiently supporting Israel, he’s bankrolled Israeli settlements in the contested West Bank territory, and he’s pushed to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a controversial issue given Jerusalem’s disputed territory and hefty religious and political significance.

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