The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) last week thanked United States Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and Jason Greenblatt, President Trump’s Special Representative for International Negotiations and Middle East Envoy, for their recent expressions of support for Israel and their willingness to speak the truth about the present situation involving Israel and the Palestinian Arabs.
While addressing the recent “Israel HaYom Forum for US-Israel Relations” event in Jerusalem, and discussing the United States’ ongoing efforts to seek a Middle East peace agreement, Greenblatt said, “We might get there if people stop pretending settlements, or what I prefer to call ‘neighborhoods and cities,’ are the reason for the lack of peace.”
In addition, Friedman and Greenblatt recently attended the opening of Pilgrimage Road in the City of David in Jerusalem. Despite enduring criticism for their participation in the event, which marked the culmination of a significant archaeological endeavor, Friedman and Greenblatt noted the historical importance of the site and its ancient connection to the Jewish people. “The City of David brings Biblical Jerusalem back to life,” said Friedman. “It enables every one of us to stroll the corridors where the ancient prophets of Israel gave voice to revolutionary ideals of freedom, liberty, and human dignity… It is our unique privilege as Americans to walk together with our Israeli counterparts on the just unveiled Pilgrimage Road, where our shared ancestors ascended the flagstone steps in prayer and blessing.”
Further, earlier last week Greenblatt again pushed back against attempts to deny the Jewish people’s connection to Jerusalem. “PA spox says the opening of a ‘mythical tunnel’ will create chaos in the region,” he wrote on Twitter. “This is not true & falsehoods like this are among the significant issues in the conflict. The tunnel ‘opened’ nearly 2,000 yrs ago. Denial of the Jewish history in Jerusalem is FALSE!”
“As the international community unjustly impugns Israel and unfairly cites the ‘settlements’ as impediments to peace, while at the same time wrongfully denying and willfully ignoring the Jewish people’s longstanding connection to the city of Jerusalem, Ambassador David Friedman and Jason Greenblatt, on behalf of the Trump administration, have repeatedly sought to debunk these myths and dispel the mistruths concerning Israel,” said NCYI President Farley Weiss. “By boldly speaking the truth about the United States’ sole democratic ally in the Middle East amidst an avalanche of baseless criticism, Ambassador Friedman and Mr. Greenblatt have made it abundantly clear that the administration is committed to further strengthening the US-Israel relationship and will not allow the Palestinian Arabs to deny historical facts and the Jewish people’s historical connection to Israel, Jerusalem, and Judea and Samaria.”
