NEW YORK (VINnews) — A shocking new exchange has surfaced, in which a senior staffer at the State Department told David Friedman in 2017, “Don’t be so Jewish.”
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Mr. Friedman, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, wrote about the antisemitic incident in his new memoir, which is set to be released next week.
It took place when Mr. Friedman was busy preparing for President Trump’s first visit to Israel in May 2017. Many officials in the State Department were heavily resistant to Trump’s pledge to move the Israel embassy. Mr. Friedman tried to persuade them to accept the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as a first step, but got such strong defiance, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson refused to even take his calls.
As quoted on Breitbart News, Mr. Friedman’s book describes his efforts to support Israel, and the vicious response he got from career swamp-dwelling bureaucrats in the “deep state”:
Word of my stubborn insistence on standing with our ally Israel had now circulated widely within the State Department. Another senior staffer decided to call me and offer the following advice: “Mr. Ambassador, don’t be so Jewish.”
“What?”
“Don’t be so Jewish. You represent the United States of America. Tone down the Judaism in your work. Don’t be so Jewish.”
I was furious. “Do you think I am under any disillusion as to who I represent? I’m not a politically correct person but I have to ask you, why do the laws of political correctness not apply to Jews?”
“Just a free word of advice.” Worth the price.
In the end, despite the resistance and endless nee-saying, the embassy move was extremely successful, and took Mideast diplomacy to a whole new level, culminating in the Abraham Accords.
Mr. Friedman observed that his struggles with the State Department ended when Mike Pompeo became Secretary in 2018.
May Hashem bless Mr. Friedman and his beautiful family with many many long, healthy and happy years!!!
This man is the embodiment of what it means to be a good Jew!
And Kuddos to his Rabbi, Z. Wolowick!
Bravo, Mr Friendman!
But but butt buuuttttt bbbutttt isnt Trump the anti-semite?
they were holdovers from the Kenyan or careerists
Wow!! Unbelievable!!!
The state department has always been anti Israel and pro arab.
I see he did not tell us who said this. That sort of limits the utility of the information.
“A shocking new exchange”
Not shocking.
Save your outrage for bigger, more substantive issues.