Speaking to the Latino Coalition for Israel and President Trump Faith Advisers in Jerusalem, U.S. Ambassador David Friedman rejected criticism leveled at him by The New York Times.
Friedman made a remark about “Israel being on the side of God” at a ceremony to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Embassy move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. In his short address earlier today, the U.S. Ambassador defended his remarks, as well as The New York Times’ snide critique of him personally and also evangelical Christians.
“Those of you who heard me last night, heard me say that ‘Israel was on the side of God.’ The New York Times has its hair on fire as a result of that. There is nothing more offensive I could have said.”
“Here is what is so mystifying to me. Billions of people around the world, accept the Old Testament as part of their faith. It has its primary theme, the Jews going down to Egypt because of a famine; they were freed and made their path to the Land of Israel. They were exiled by the Babylonians first, then the Romans. Most of the prophecy in the Old Testament is the prophecy of the return of Jews to the Land of Israel. And it happens. And it happened in our lifetime. The prophecy of Ezekiel has come true.”
“So where am I off in saying that Israel is on the side of God? It doesn’t mean that God loves one person more than another; I wouldn’t presume to speak for how God loves every person… but the fact that God has fulfilled the Biblical prophecy to return to the Jews to Zion is demonstrably true! It would be good if they could spend a little less time defending terrorists and a little more time defending the truth.”
Source: Israel in the News