Former US Ambassador Friedman Criticizes Current Envoy's Remarks on Jewish Violence
Former US Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, penned a public letter to current Ambassador Mike Harkavy, challenging Harkavy's recent characterization of violence by Jews as "terrorism" during a visit to the Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya. Friedman, who served under President Donald Trump, acknowledged Harkavy's strong support for Israel but argued that framing violence in the West Bank without its security context creates a false moral equivalence.
Friedman asserted that while violence has long existed in the West Bank, the motivations differ significantly. He stated that Jews do not wake up intending to kill Palestinians, contrasting this with the reality that hundreds of Jewish residents have been murdered in Palestinian terror attacks. He also noted that a significant portion of the Palestinian public in the West Bank allegedly supports Hamas and desires the expulsion of Jews from Israel.
He described the term "settler violence" as a "cynical media campaign" and a fabricated narrative used by those who falsely accuse Israel of genocide. Friedman suggested that some Palestinian residents with American citizenship are exploiting their status by flying US flags over their homes to portray their own initiated incidents as attacks on America, part of a long-standing campaign against Israel.
While agreeing that Jewish violence harms Israel's international standing, Friedman argued that the damage is less severe than allowing Palestinian terrorists to operate freely. He contended that labeling Jews who retaliate against attackers as "terrorists" aids anti-Israel propaganda efforts aiming to create a false moral parity. Friedman concluded by noting that media outlets ignore Harkavy's own distinction that those involved in violence are a tiny minority, as it contradicts their preferred narrative.
