Thursday Jun 19, 2025
NEWSLETTER
www.israelhayom.com
  • Home
  • Iran War
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
  • In Memoriam
www.israelhayom.com
  • Home
  • Iran War
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
  • In Memoriam
www.israelhayom.com
Home News World News United States

'Most US envoys fail to understand Israel's needs,' former ambassador says

Former envoy David Friedman blasts State Department officials for telling him to "tone down his Jewishness," says Israel has "never had a home" in the bureau, which has historically been antagonistic toward the Jewish state.

by  ILH Staff
Published on  06-21-2022 12:14
Last modified: 06-21-2022 11:58
'If the US rejoins the Iran nuclear deal, it will hurt peace deals'Oren Ben Hakoon

Former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman visits the Pilgrims Road archaeology site in Jerusalem in 2019 | File photo: Oren Ben Hakoon

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Israel has "never had a home" in the US State Department and American envoys sent to the Jewish state fail to understand the Jewish state's complexities and needs, former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman told the far-right Breitbart news website in a recent interview.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

"The State Department has historically not been hospitable to the state of Israel or its supporters," Friedman blasted, saying that most diplomats sent to Israel reflect the State Department's traditional Arabist mindset.

Friedman, who served as Washington's ambassador to Jerusalem from May 2017 until January 2021 under the Trump administration, further said that as the Israel portfolio falls under the purview of the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, which handles foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa region, the Jewish State "finds itself in a bureau in a state department with other countries that historically have been anti-Israel."

He explained that many diplomats who serve in Syria or North African countries are later posted in Israel but being "Arabists" they  "don't really take the time to understand or appreciate" the fact that the environment in Israel is different from what they are used to.

In his memoir, Sledgehammer: How Breaking with the Past Brought Peace to the Middle East, Friedman says that the State Department instructed him to "tone down his Jewishness" and reveals that he was at loggerheads with some of then-President Donald Trump's senior advisers about pro-Israel measures.

Friedman told Breitbart that the State Department remains stuck in his culture of being antagonistic toward Israel.

He said that after revealing he wanted to visit the Western Wall, a State Department official told him, "Don't be so Jewish. You represent the United States of America. Tone down the Judaism in your work."

Friedman recalled his response, saying, "Do you think I am under any disillusion as to who I represent? I'm not a politically correct person but I have to ask you, why do the laws of political correctness not apply to Jews?"

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

Related Posts

How does pizza predict when America goes to war?AP, Reuters

How does pizza predict when America goes to war?

by ILH Staff

The Pentagon's "pizza index" has tracked late-night delivery spikes to predict military action since the 1980s; "Bottom line for journalists...

Finance minister hampers procurement efforts, affecting critical munitionsIDF Spokesperson's Unit

Pentagon cuts F-35 order in half for 2025 budget

by Erez Linn

The Defense Department’s decision to halve the order has not been accompanied by an official explanation, and neither Lockheed Martin...

Did Musk overplay his hand? Wall Street sounds alarmReuters/Charles Platiau;REUTERS/Nathan Howard; REUTERS/Kent Nishimura;

Musk makes mea culpa over anti-Trump outbursts

by Erez Linn

The Tesla CEO says he regrets trump social media posts amid public feud over "Big Beautiful Deal." Tweets included allegations...

Menu

Analysis 

Archaeology

Blogpost

Business & Finance

Culture

Exclusive

Explainer

Environment

 

Features

Health

In Brief

Jewish World

Judea and Samaria

Lifestyle

Cyber & Internet

Sports

 

Diplomacy 

Iran & The Gulf

Gaza Strip

Politics

Shopping

Terms of use

Privacy Policy

Submissions

Contact Us

About Us

The first issue of Israel Hayom appeared on July 30, 2007. Israel Hayom was founded on the belief that the Israeli public deserves better, more balanced and more accurate journalism. Journalism that speaks, not shouts. Journalism of a different kind. And free of charge.

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il

  • Home
  • Iran War
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
    • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
    • Environment & Wildlife
    • Health & Wellness
  • In Memoriam
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Submit your opinion
  • Terms and conditions

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il

Newsletter

[contact-form-7 id=”508379″ html_id=”isrh_form_Newsletter_en” title=”newsletter_subscribe”]

  • Home
  • Iran War
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
    • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
    • Environment & Wildlife
    • Health & Wellness
  • In Memoriam
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Submit your opinion
  • Terms and conditions

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il