David Friedman Painfully Struggles To Explain Views On Two-State Solution

Image by Forward Montage

By Nathan Guttman February 16, 2017

David Friedman had an early test of his ability to speak diplomatically as he sought to wriggle his way out of the deep hole he dug for himself during years of acerbic far right-wing writing about Israel and the Jewish community.

On the two-state solution, Friedman was forced to defend his views as a staunch supporter of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which gobble up land Palestinians want for their state.

It would be the “most ideal” solution, Friedman tried. Then he added that a two-state solution presents the “best possibility for peace in the region,” even though he said Palestinians are blocking such a deal.

Friedman also disavowed a one-state solution in which Palestinian Arabs would be second class citizens.

“I don’t think anyone would support a state where different classes of citizens had separate rights,” he said, apparently ignoring the opinions of many on Israel’s far right who espouse just that belief.

Should pro-peace advocates breath a sigh of relief?

Maybe. As long as they don’t look up Friedman’s comments from the past, when he said it is time to “end the two-state narrative” which is no more than an “illusion.”

Contact Nathan Guttman at [email protected]

Nathan Guttman, staff writer, was the Forward’s Washington bureau chief. He joined the staff in 2006 after serving for five years as Washington correspondent for the Israeli dailies Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post. In Israel, he was the features editor for Ha’aretz and chief editor of Channel 1 TV evening news. He was born in Canada and grew up in Israel. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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