US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman addresses the 2018 AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington, DC. Photo: Screenshot.

JNS.org – In a commencement speech on Thursday to Yeshiva University graduating students, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman slammed the Obama administration’s treatment of Israel compared to that of the current one.

“Should Israel still negotiate with the Palestinians even though Israel did not steal their land? Of course, it should, precisely because we are not suggesting, as our predecessor did—that Israel return to the bargaining table as a thief returning to the scene of a crime,” he said. “Precisely for that reason, there is a basis for discussion.”

Friedman said “the overwhelming majority of Palestinians are not consumed by hatred nor are unwilling to live in peace. Many are well-educated, many of them want what everyone wants—peace, security, good schools, and a better and more dignified way of life. We need to help them get there—not by perpetual handouts that create a culture of dependency and corruption.”

The ambassador announced that he will be part of next month’s economic summit in Bahrain as part of the Trump administration’s rollout of the Mideast peace plan.

US special envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt is a YU alum.