The new US Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, was sworn in last night in Jerusalem, less than one week before a scheduled state visit to the Jewish state by President Donald Trump. In a special ceremony at the President’s residence in Jerusalem, ambassador Friedman presented President Rivlin with his credentials, after which he emphasized his “unequivocal and unambiguous mandate to support the state of Israel.”
“I’m so grateful to President Trump for giving me the opportunity, for having the confidence in my abilities and most importantly for sending me off this past week with the unequivocal and unambiguous mandate to support the state of Israel in every way and in all ways,” said Friedman.
President Reuven Rivlin warmly welcomed the newly appointed US ambassador, and emphasized Israel’s aspiration to work with the Trump Administration, in advancing a process that would end the decades old conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
“Dear Mr. ambassador, I’m happy to welcome you and your dear wife to Israel, to Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel.”/ “We look forward to working with the new administration, to find new ways and think of new ideas of how to move forward to build trust between Israelis and Palestinians,” said Rivlin.
Ambassador Friedman, who departed from diplomatic protocol by immediately upon arrival in Israel, visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s old city to give thanks to God for his appointment, met following the official state ceremony at the President’s residence with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Following a meeting behind closed doors between Prime Minister Netanyahu and the new US Ambassador to Israel Friedman, the Israeli leader revealed in a conference he attended immediately after the meeting that several topics, he told the American diplomat that Israel hopes the United States would decide to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, an aspiration Israel has with regard to all diplomatic missions in the country.
“I was delayed coming here because I had a meeting with incoming US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman. It a was a good meeting, we discussed the deep friendship between Israel and the US, ahead of Trump’s visit. We discussed the possibility and developments in the region and the aspiration for security and peace. I told him he could shorten the distance because we need to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, as well as the rest of the embassies,” said Netanyahu.