US Envoy David Friedman Slammed over Al-Aqsa Compound Picture

US envoy to Israel, David Friedman. (Photo: via Twitter)

US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, has faced criticism for posing next to a doctored aerial image of Jerusalem showing the Third Jewish Temple where the Dome of the Rock stands today.

The photo was taken on Tuesday during a visit by Friedman to the Israeli city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv organized by Achiya, an NGO that aids students with learning disabilities.

Achiya apologized for the poster, calling it a “cheap political act” by a staff member.

The US embassy in Israel, which moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem last week, also said Friedman was not aware of the poster when he was photographed.

The embassy said in a statement:

“The US policy is absolutely clear: we support the status quo on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount. Ambassador Friedman was not aware of the image thrust in front of him when the photo was taken. He was deeply disappointed that anyone would take advantage of his visit to Bnei Brak to create controversy.”

Friedman, a former lawyer for the Trump Organization, supports the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. He has repeatedly made statements in favor of Israel.

In a column published by Fox News on Sunday, Friedman accused US “liberal media” of siding with Hamas to undermine the “beautiful and uplifting event” of moving the embassy to Jerusalem.

The move was condemned internationally and rejected by the UN General Assembly for violating the status of Jerusalem.

(AJE, PC, Social Media)

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