A spokesperson for the US Embassy denies the American ambassador is avoiding meetings with senior Israeli officials who are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rivals in the September 17 elections.
“The article in Yedioth Ahronoth claiming that Ambassador [David] Friedman has refused to meet with General [Benny] Gantz is false,” the spokesman tells the Times of Israel.
“In his role as United States Ambassador to Israel, Ambassador Friedman has met with many of Israel’s leaders from all sides of the political spectrum. In that context, Ambassador Friedman has met, one-on-one, with General Gantz on several occasions,” the spokesman says.
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz speaks to reporters at the Knesset as his party submits its electoral slate to the Central Elections Committee on August 1, 2019. (Flash90)
Yedioth earlier today reported that US diplomatic staff in Israel have been “drafted” to help Netanyahu’s reelection campaign at the direction of his close ally, US President Donald Trump. The report did not allege that Friedman refused a meeting with Gantz outright, but said that Friedman has been giving Gantz “the cold shoulder” since he launched his political career in late 2018.
It wasn’t clear if Gantz requested a meeting and Friedman declined, or if there has just been little to no contact between them.
Yedioth also said that Friedman has also avoided official meetings with President Reuven Rivilin.
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