Friedman sworn in as ambassador

Five Towns resident David Friedman, who was confirmed by the Senate last Thursday, is now America’s ambassdor to Israel.

He took the oath of office in an unofficial private ceremony in his Village of Woodsburgh home on Friday and then was formally sworn in at the White House on Wednesday.

At the White House, Vice President Mike Pence administered the oath.

A photo of the Woodsburgh ceremony, showing Friedman with his left hand on a book held by his youngest daughter, Katie, and his right hand raised, was posted on Twitter.

The Senate’s vote, 52–46, was largely along party lines. Only two Democrats supported Friedman — Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Joe Manchin III of West Virginia. No Republicans opposed him.

Prime Minister Netanyahu tweeted in response to the vote, “New US ambassador to Israel David Friedman will be warmly welcomed as President Trump’s representative and as a close friend of Israel.”

David Friedman’s Israel connections, a factor that helped dampen Democratic support for President Donald Trump’s nominee as ambassador to Israel, will be a “tremendous asset” to advancing peace, the White House said on the day of his swearing in.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters on Wednesday that Trump “is glad that Ambassador Friedman will be officially on board as we strive for a lasting peace in the Middle East.”

“Mr. Friedman’s strong relationships in Israel will be a tremendous asset to the president in furthering that mission,” Spicer said.

Friedman’s swearing-in came the same day that Trump’s envoy to the region, Jason Greenblatt – also a lawyer to trump when he was a businessman – wrapped up meetings with Arab leaders on the sidelines of an Arab League meeting in Jordan.

Summing up, the U.S. embassy in Amman said in a statement that Greenblatt “focused on how tangible progress could be made toward advancing Middle East peace, including a comprehensive agreement between Israelis and Palestinians.”

Greenblatt, in his meetings, “reaffirmed President Trump’s personal interest in achieving a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians and his belief that such a peace agreement is not only possible, but would reverberate positively throughout the region and the world.”

Friedman, 57, a longtime friend and bankruptcy attorney to Trump, was one of two Trump advisers on Jewish affairs during the presidential campaign.

Updated on Thursday March 30