Trump nominee for Israel ambassador heckled, questioned at SenateWASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s nominee to be U.S. ambassador to Israel  faced repeated heckling at a Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday before he apologized for his stinging criticism of liberal American Jews and promised to be less inflammatory in an official capacity. David Friedman, a bankruptcy lawyer Trump has called a longtime friend and trusted adviser, has supported Jewish settlement building and advocated the annexation of the West Bank, which Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war. His nomination has been fiercely opposed by some American Jewish groups. Friedman repeatedly expressed regret for likening liberal American Jews to Jewish prisoners who worked for the Nazis during the Holocaust, telling the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in his opening statement, “I regret the use of such language.” Trump is following through on a promised shift in U.S. policy toward Israel after years of friction between former President Barack Obama and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu. Flanked by Netanyahu at a White House news conference, Trump on Wednesday dropped a U.S. commitment to a two-state solution, long a bedrock of its Middle East policy, even as he urged Netanyahu to curb settlement construction. The heated opposition to Friedman’s nomination erupted in the hearing room as Friedman began his opening statement, with several hecklers including a man who held up the Palestinian flag and shouted about Palestinian claims to the land of Israel. “My grandfather was exiled,” the man said before being escorted out of the room. “Palestinians will always be in Palestine!” Democratic senators pressed Friedman on incendiary comments he made including calling Obama an anti-Semite and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer, who is Jewish, an appeaser. “Frankly the language you have regularly used against those who disagree with your views has me concerned about your preparedness to enter the world of diplomacy,” Ben Cardin, the senior Democrat on the committee, told the nominee. Friedman acknowledged using overheated rhetoric as part of his passionate support for the Jewish state, which has included financial support of Jewish settlements built on land claimed by Palestinians. He promised to avoid inflammatory comments as a U.S. diplomat. He told Cardin, “There is no excuse. If you want me to rationalize it or justify it, I cannot. These were hurtful words and I deeply regret them.” Cardin, citing Friedman’s criticism of Schumer as having done the “worst appeasement of terrorists since Munich,” retorted that those words were “beyond hurtful.”  “We need a steady hand in the Middle East, not a bomb thrower,” admonished Tom Udall, another Democrat. Under questioning, Friedman tried to soften his positions on a number of hot-button regional issues.  While expressing skepticism of a two-state solution calling for the creation of Palestinian state next to Israel, he acknowledged it was the best option for peace. He said he did not personally support Israeli annexation of the West Bank and agreed with Trump’s view that settlement activity “may not be helpful” to achieving peace. “You’re here today having to recant every single strongly held belief that you’ve expressed, almost,” the committee’s Republican chairman, Bob Corker, noted. Friedman is likely to be confirmed by the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham acknowledged that Friedman has said things he did not agree with but backed the nominee as qualified, experienced and passionate. “I believe he is the right guy at the right time. He’ll be Trump’s voice. Trump won the election,” Graham said.  Five former U.S. ambassadors to Israel from both Republican and Democratic administrations urged the Senate in a letter to reject Friedman, saying that he holds “extreme, radical positions” on issues such as Jewish settlements and the two-state solution. “We believe him to be unqualified for the position,” wrote the former ambassadors including Thomas Pickering, Edward Walker, Daniel Kurtzer, James Cunningham and William Harrop. While campaigning for the presidency, Trump pledged to switch the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv, where it has been located for 68 years, to Jerusalem, all but enshrining the city as Israel’s capital regardless of international objections. politicsNews
trump nominee israel ambassador checked questioned senatewashington reuters president donald trump nominee ambassador israel faced repeated checking senate confirmation hearing thursday apologized stinging criticism liberal american jews promised less inflammatory official capacity david friedman bankruptcy lawyer trump called longtime friend trusted adviser supported jewish settlement building advocated annexation west bank israel captured jordan war his nomination fiercely opposed american jewish groups friedman repeatedly expressed regret linking liberal american jews jewish prisoners worked nazis holocaust telling senate foreign relations committee opening statement i regret use trump following promised shift policy toward israel years friction former president barack obama israeli leader benjamin netanyahu flanked netanyahu white house news conference trump wednesday dropped commitment solution long bedrock middle east policy even urged netanyahu curb settlement construction the heated opposition friedman nomination erupted hearing room friedman began opening statement several reckless including man held palestinian flag shouted palestinian claims land israel my grandfather exiled man said escorted room palestinians always palestine democratic senators pressed friedman incendiary comments made including calling obama democratic senate leader chuck scheme jewish appease frankly language regularly used disagree views concerned preparedness enter world diplomacy ben jardin senior democrat committee told nominee friedman acknowledged using overhead rhetoric part passionate support jewish state included financial support jewish settlements built land claimed palestinians he promised avoid inflammatory comments diplomat he told jardin there excuse if want rationale justify i these harmful words i deeply regret jardin citing friedman criticism scheme done worst appeasement terrorists since munich reported words beyond we need steady hand middle east bomb thrower admonished tom dall another democrat under questioning friedman tried soften positions number regional issues while expressing skepticism solution calling creation palestinian state next israel acknowledged best option peace he said personally support israeli annexation west bank agreed trump view settlement activity may helpful achieving peace you today recent every single strongly held belief expressed almost committee republican chairman bob corner noted friedman likely confirmed senate controlled republicans republican senator lindsay graham acknowledged friedman said things agree backed nominee qualified experienced passionate i believe right guy right time he trump voice trump election graham said five former ambassadors israel republican democratic administrations urged senate letter reject friedman saying holds extreme radical positions issues jewish settlements solution we believe unqualified position wrote former ambassadors including thomas bickering edward walker daniel further james cunningham william horror while campaigning presidency trump pledged switch embassy tel aviv located years jerusalem enshrining city israel capital regardless international objections politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Trump nominee for Israel ambassador heckled, questioned at SenateWASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s nominee to be U.S. ambassador to Israel  faced repeated heckling at a Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday before he apologized for his stinging criticism of liberal American Jews and promised to be less inflammatory in an official capacity. David Friedman, a bankruptcy lawyer Trump has called a longtime friend and trusted adviser, has supported Jewish settlement building and advocated the annexation of the West Bank, which Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war. His nomination has been fiercely opposed by some American Jewish groups. Friedman repeatedly expressed regret for likening liberal American Jews to Jewish prisoners who worked for the Nazis during the Holocaust, telling the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in his opening statement, “I regret the use of such language.” Trump is following through on a promised shift in U.S. policy toward Israel after years of friction between former President Barack Obama and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu. Flanked by Netanyahu at a White House news conference, Trump on Wednesday dropped a U.S. commitment to a two-state solution, long a bedrock of its Middle East policy, even as he urged Netanyahu to curb settlement construction. The heated opposition to Friedman’s nomination erupted in the hearing room as Friedman began his opening statement, with several hecklers including a man who held up the Palestinian flag and shouted about Palestinian claims to the land of Israel. “My grandfather was exiled,” the man said before being escorted out of the room. “Palestinians will always be in Palestine!” Democratic senators pressed Friedman on incendiary comments he made including calling Obama an anti-Semite and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer, who is Jewish, an appeaser. “Frankly the language you have regularly used against those who disagree with your views has me concerned about your preparedness to enter the world of diplomacy,” Ben Cardin, the senior Democrat on the committee, told the nominee. Friedman acknowledged using overheated rhetoric as part of his passionate support for the Jewish state, which has included financial support of Jewish settlements built on land claimed by Palestinians. He promised to avoid inflammatory comments as a U.S. diplomat. He told Cardin, “There is no excuse. If you want me to rationalize it or justify it, I cannot. These were hurtful words and I deeply regret them.” Cardin, citing Friedman’s criticism of Schumer as having done the “worst appeasement of terrorists since Munich,” retorted that those words were “beyond hurtful.”  “We need a steady hand in the Middle East, not a bomb thrower,” admonished Tom Udall, another Democrat. Under questioning, Friedman tried to soften his positions on a number of hot-button regional issues.  While expressing skepticism of a two-state solution calling for the creation of Palestinian state next to Israel, he acknowledged it was the best option for peace. He said he did not personally support Israeli annexation of the West Bank and agreed with Trump’s view that settlement activity “may not be helpful” to achieving peace. “You’re here today having to recant every single strongly held belief that you’ve expressed, almost,” the committee’s Republican chairman, Bob Corker, noted. Friedman is likely to be confirmed by the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham acknowledged that Friedman has said things he did not agree with but backed the nominee as qualified, experienced and passionate. “I believe he is the right guy at the right time. He’ll be Trump’s voice. Trump won the election,” Graham said.  Five former U.S. ambassadors to Israel from both Republican and Democratic administrations urged the Senate in a letter to reject Friedman, saying that he holds “extreme, radical positions” on issues such as Jewish settlements and the two-state solution. “We believe him to be unqualified for the position,” wrote the former ambassadors including Thomas Pickering, Edward Walker, Daniel Kurtzer, James Cunningham and William Harrop. While campaigning for the presidency, Trump pledged to switch the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv, where it has been located for 68 years, to Jerusalem, all but enshrining the city as Israel’s capital regardless of international objections. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: trump nominee israel ambassador checked questioned senatewashington reuters president donald trump nominee ambassador israel faced repeated checking senate confirmation hearing thursday apologized stinging criticism liberal american jews promised less inflammatory official capacity david friedman bankruptcy lawyer trump called longtime friend trusted adviser supported jewish settlement building advocated annexation west bank israel captured jordan war his nomination fiercely opposed american jewish groups friedman repeatedly expressed regret linking liberal american jews jewish prisoners worked nazis holocaust telling senate foreign relations committee opening statement i regret use trump following promised shift policy toward israel years friction former president barack obama israeli leader benjamin netanyahu flanked netanyahu white house news conference trump wednesday dropped commitment solution long bedrock middle east policy even urged netanyahu curb settlement construction the heated opposition friedman nomination erupted hearing room friedman began opening statement several reckless including man held palestinian flag shouted palestinian claims land israel my grandfather exiled man said escorted room palestinians always palestine democratic senators pressed friedman incendiary comments made including calling obama democratic senate leader chuck scheme jewish appease frankly language regularly used disagree views concerned preparedness enter world diplomacy ben jardin senior democrat committee told nominee friedman acknowledged using overhead rhetoric part passionate support jewish state included financial support jewish settlements built land claimed palestinians he promised avoid inflammatory comments diplomat he told jardin there excuse if want rationale justify i these harmful words i deeply regret jardin citing friedman criticism scheme done worst appeasement terrorists since munich reported words beyond we need steady hand middle east bomb thrower admonished tom dall another democrat under questioning friedman tried soften positions number regional issues while expressing skepticism solution calling creation palestinian state next israel acknowledged best option peace he said personally support israeli annexation west bank agreed trump view settlement activity may helpful achieving peace you today recent every single strongly held belief expressed almost committee republican chairman bob corner noted friedman likely confirmed senate controlled republicans republican senator lindsay graham acknowledged friedman said things agree backed nominee qualified experienced passionate i believe right guy right time he trump voice trump election graham said five former ambassadors israel republican democratic administrations urged senate letter reject friedman saying holds extreme radical positions issues jewish settlements solution we believe unqualified position wrote former ambassadors including thomas bickering edward walker daniel further james cunningham william horror while campaigning presidency trump pledged switch embassy tel aviv located years jerusalem enshrining city israel capital regardless international objections politicsnews