Sen. Bernie Sanders asks David Friedman, US President Donald Trump’s nominee to be ambassador to Israel, whether he would back using funds earmarked for assistance to Israel to help rebuild the Gaza Strip.
Sanders in a letter he hands Friedman after they meet Wednesday also asks whether he thinks the tax-exempt status of groups that fundraise for settlers should be reviewed. JTA obtains a copy of the letter on Thursday.
The questions in the letter are significant as they suggest the path forward for Israel policy among progressive Democrats.
Sanders has emerged as a de facto leader of progressives following his insurgent but unsuccessful campaign last year for the Democratic presidential nomination. In perhaps the best-received speech over the weekend at the annual conference of J Street, the liberal Middle East policy group, Sanders pushed the theme that pro-Israel Jews need not hesitate to criticize Israeli government policies.
US Senator Bernie Sanders speaking at the J Street 2017 National Conference at the Washington Convention Center, Feb. 27, 2017. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images via JTA)
His letter outlines three questions for Friedman: whether he supports a two-state outcome to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the appropriateness of an ambassador having deep involvement in the settler movement as a fundraiser and advocate, as Friedman does; and regarding Israeli assistance.
— JTA
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