Israeli Ambassador to US Criticizes Ben Gvir, May Golan, and J Street for Harmful Statements

Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Meir Ben-Shabbat, spoke in a podcast interview about the ongoing peace talks between Israel and Lebanon, emphasizing that the agreement focuses on dismantling Hezbollah rather than a timeline for Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. He clarified that Israel will not leave the security zone until the Lebanese army fully controls the area south of the Litani River and Hezbollah’s armed presence is removed.

However, much of the interview centered on internal Israeli political disputes and their impact on Israel’s image in the US. Ben-Shabbat openly criticized Israeli politicians, including Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, for public statements that damage Israel’s standing abroad. He acknowledged that while diplomatic protocol discourages criticizing elected officials, he feels compelled to speak out when remarks undermine Israel and lend credibility to its adversaries.

The ambassador condemned inflammatory comments by coalition members such as Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, stating "things that should not be said, should not be said," and contextualized these remarks within Israel’s ongoing trauma following the October 7 attacks and the current conflict. He also denounced Minister May Golan’s derogatory remarks about Reform Jews and apologized personally to Reform rabbis, recounting his efforts to engage with about 350 Reform rabbis in New York.

Ben-Shabbat further criticized the American Jewish organization J Street, labeling it as outside the mainstream Jewish community due to its opposition to Israeli government policies, particularly on arms embargoes. He contrasted J Street with AIPAC, which he said supports Israel’s elected government regardless of its composition.

Finally, the ambassador denied reports that he raised his voice at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during Lebanon agreement discussions, describing their talks as detailed negotiations over wording rather than confrontational exchanges.