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Jilted Democrats fume over Trump-Netanyahu lovefest

Democrats in Congress are taking aim at US Ambassador David Friedman as the deepening alliance between the US government and the Israeli right leaves them in the cold.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hands U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman a letter of appreciation, during a reception held at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, ahead of the moving of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, May 13, 2018. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RC12C6659B00
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hands US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman a letter of appreciation during a reception held at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, ahead of the moving of the US Embassy to Jerusalem, May 13, 2018. — REUTERS/Amir Cohen

US Ambassador David Friedman has been acting as the Israeli right-wing’s unfiltered apostle of late.

He has insisted that “settlers aren’t going anywhere” and consistently blamed the Palestinians for the breakdown in peace talks. He invited prominent pro-Trump evangelicals to dedicate the US Embassy in Jerusalem last month, then pronounced himself “very concerned” that no Democrats showed up, even though none had received a White House invitation. And just this week, he admonished journalists who question Israel for shooting protesters in Gaza and told the reporters to “just keep your mouths shut.”

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