Woodsburgh resident named as ambassador to Israel

Woodsburgh resident and lawyer, David Friedman, who was one of President-elect Donald Trump’s primary advisers on Israel and Middle East affairs during the presidential campaign, was named to be the U.S. ambassador to the Jewish state. The U.S. Senate must confirm Friedman's appointment.

In statement that was released on Twitter, Trump said: “The bond between Israel and the United States runs deep, and I will ensure there is no daylight between us when I’m president. As the United States’ ambassador to Israel, David Friedman will maintain the special relationship between our two countries. He has been a long-time friend and trusted advisor to me. His strong relationships in Israel will form the foundation of his diplomatic mission and be a tremendous asset to our country as we strengthen the ties with our allies and strive for peace in the Middle East. Nothing is more critical than protecting the security of our citizens at home and abroad.”

Friedman, 57, an Orthodox Jew, is one of the principal lawyers at Kasowitz Benson Torres and Friedman, which has several offices including one in New York has long-standing ties with Israel and had his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

In statement that was also released on Twitter, he said: “I am deeply honored and humbled by the confidence placed in me by President-elect Trump to represent the United States as its ambassador to Israel. I intend to work tirelessly to strengthen the unbreakable bond between or two countries and advance the cause of peace within the region, and look forward to doing this from the U.S. Embassy in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem.”

Friedman’s last statement is controversial as Tel Aviv is the capital of Israel and there are currently 86 foreign embassies in the city. The U.S. congress passed a law in 1995 that the U.S. embassy in Israel would be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The law has never been implemented.

As a lawyer, Friedman heads Kasowitz’s Creditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy Practice Group. He represents, among others, debtors-in-possession, commercial lenders in complex real estate and industrial bankruptcies and informal restructurings, committees of creditors and equity security holders, hedge funds, high-yield mutual funds and other distressed investors, trustees in bankruptcy and acquirers of distressed businesses. Friedman has published articles and lectured on novel and complex areas of bankruptcy law.

Rabbi Steven Graber, spiritual leader of Temple Hillel, said that Friedman “is a well-respected attorney with a very deep understanding of the Middle East situation.” “David I believe he would do an excellent job of representing the United States in a sensitive area of the world,” Graber added. Friedman’s father, Rabbi Morris Friedman, also led the North Woodmere congregation.