Former U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman said Sunday he was “ashamed” by the actions of Jewish groups who accused former President Donald Trump of anti-Semitism last week despite the evidence.
Friedman told Joel B. Pollack, senior editor at Breitbart News: Breitbart News Sundaywill air on SiriusXM Patriot 125 on Sundays from 7pm-10pm ET.
Pollack interviewed Friedman about his new book. One Jewish State: The Last and Best Hope for Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict It is currently number one in its category on Amazon.com.
Friedman served as ambassador during President Donald Trump's first term and was directly involved in several dramatic achievements in U.S.-Israeli policy, including the relocation of the embassy to Jerusalem, recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and the signing of the Abraham Accords peace agreements with several Arab countries.
Pollack asked Friedman to respond to criticism from some Jewish groups and media over Trump's comments asking Jewish groups to give him more than 40 percent of the vote — the highest level ever polled among Jewish voters — in recognition of his work for Israel and the Jewish community.
While critics have quoted parts of Trump's comments out of context, Pollack said a reading of the speech in its entirety makes it clear that Trump made no anti-Semitic remarks.
He asked Friedman for a response.
POLLACK: What do you say to Jewish groups who have accused President Trump of making anti-Semitic remarks when he told the Israeli-American Council last week that he was disappointed that the Jewish community is only 40 percent Jewish? [would vote] What do you think of him, despite all he has done for Israel and the Jewish community?
Friedman: I think this is all just political maneuvering. He is the most famous person on the planet. We know how he talks and how he thinks. The bottom line is that he has done a lot for Israel and the region. He has done a lot to limit Iranian power. Iran has come back to full power under the Biden administration. This is how he talks. That is, he has been so good to the Jewish people that he expects some kind of returned loyalty from the Jewish world. That is how he talks. It is not anti-Semitic. Quite the opposite. He is saying, “I have done so much for the Jewish people, you should really give back.” Frankly, I think he is right. And I am ashamed that so many in the Jewish community rejected his candidacy. Because if you care about anti-Semitism at home, or if you care about the safety and security of the State of Israel and abroad, he is the only option. Not based on what he says or does, but on his record.
Friedman's book suggests that Israel should annex the West Bank (known to Israelis as Judea and Samaria) and eventually the Gaza Strip, and grant Palestinians full civil rights except the right to vote in national elections. Just as residents of the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico can vote in local elections and have self-governance but do not participate in national presidential elections, Friedman argues in his book that Palestinian Arabs should be able to govern themselves under Israeli sovereignty because the Palestinians have proven they have no interest in building their own state.
Polls about Trump's approval rating within the Jewish community vary widely, with many considering 40% to be the upper limit for Republicans. President Ronald Reagan won roughly 40% of the Jewish vote in the 1980 election.
