David Friedman to Newsmax: Israel Fears Being 'Handcuffed' on Hamas

The moves the Biden administration has made concerning the war in Israel are "deeply appreciated by the Israeli public," but still, 'they're waiting for the other shoe to drop," as there is "great concern that Israel will be handcuffed in its task to eliminate Hamas," David Friedman, the former U.S. ambassador to Israel, said on Newsmax Sunday.

"They can't be handcuffed, and only America can stop Israel right now because Israel is not going to pay attention to the United Nations or anyone else, but of course, they do care very much about what America has to say," Friedman said on Newsmax's "Sunday Report."

For now, as Israel is launching airstrikes on Gaza as it readies for a massive ground invasion, it is "doing all it can to minimize civilian casualties," said Friedman.
"I use the word civilian charitably because these civilians are celebrating the rape and dismemberment of women and the decapitation of babies, but we'll call them civilians for our discussion," said Friedman.

But Israel, still, is telling the civilian population of Gaza to move south out of the way of the war, he said.

"Who does that in a war?" said Friedman. "We're coming into the north. Get out of the way! And of course, Hamas isn't letting them get out of the way because Hamas is trying to develop as many human shields as possible."

Friedman said he believes Iran "has its fingerprints" all over the Hamas attacks on Israel after the Biden administration allowed it to become wealthier through the $6 billion hostage deal that was reached.

"They didn't use that money to build hospitals or schools," he said. "They used it to build ballistic missiles, enrich uranium, and of course fund terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah. Iran is calling the shots."

Further, one of Iran's biggest fears was the looming plans for Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalize relations, which had been nearing when the war started.

"I think by starting this war, it makes it almost impossible in the short run for Israel and Saudi Arabia to make any more progress, so I think we see around Iran's fingerprints here, and I think that was undoubtedly a major motivation," he said.

The war has also meant "tremendous political exposure to the Biden administration," leading it to be "so careful in their words" about Iran.

"The $6 billion is really a red herring," Friedman said. "It doesn't matter whether the $6 billion was technically used or wasn't used with regard to this attack. In 2022, Iran sold about $42 billion worth of oil, Friedman added, saying overall they have a lot "more money to spread into all these malign activities."

Friedman added that he thinks the situation is the way it is now because of the administration's failed policy, but still, he's "perfectly happy to rally around the leaders and win the war."

"We have to win the war, and there's plenty of time to look backward," said Friedman. "But when we do look backward, one of the things we'll find is that the policies of the last three years had a significant impact upon these battles."

Meanwhile, Friedman said that he's not sure that his sources in Israel would tell him that the country's intelligence services had been compromised. Still, he said he thinks that Israeli intelligence is "still one of the best in the world" and "certainly the best in the Middle East," and the attacks on Israel by Hamas marked a "colossal failure."

"I don't think it will happen again," he said, adding that he believes Israel was too focused on Iran and in particular, a nuclear conflict with Iran. "Sometimes it's the simple things, the basic things."

"Look at 9/11," he said. "Who would have thought that a bunch of guys with boxcutters would have achieved a 9/11? You can't take your eye off the basics."

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