A former bankruptcy lawyer, David Friedman has been a controversial choice by the Trump administration for the sensitive role of ambassador to Israel.
And it did not take long into his appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for those tensions to rise to the surface.
(Friedman:) "If confirmed, I will also faithfully observe ..."
(Protesters:) "(We are) American Jews Against the Occupation. David Friedman, you promote racism, you fund illegal settlements, we will not be silent." ... Israeli occupation is an injustice against Palestinians and a moral crisis for American Jews... Senators, if you send this man to Israel, you endanger millions of Palestinians and Israelis. American Jews stand against this man. We stand for freedom and dignity for all."
The protesters were escorted from the hearing room.
Mr Friedman, son of an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, then offered an apology for inflammatory comments he made during the presidential election campaign.
"While I maintain profound differences of opinion with some of my critics, I regret the use of such language. I want to assure you that I understand the critical difference between the partisan rhetoric of a political contest and a diplomatic mission. Partisan rhetoric is not appropriate in achieving diplomatic progress, especially in a sensitive and strife-torn region like the Middle East."
Mr Friedman was referring to his description of a liberal Jewish advocacy group named J Street as worse than kapos, Jews who helped the Nazis imprison fellow Jews in the Holocaust.
A Democratic senator from the state of Maryland, Ben Cardin, questioned Mr Friedman's capacity to carry out the ambassador's role, given his fervent views.
(Cardin:) "You, of course, have been involved in supporting settlements and in conversations that seem to imply that the two-state solution is no longer a viable option. What do you mean by that?"
(Friedman:) "Senator, if the Israelis and the Palestinians, through direct negotiations, were able to achieve a two-state solution along parameters agreeable to them, I would be delighted. I have expressed my scepticism about the two-state solution solely on the basis of what I've perceived as an unwillingness on the part of the Palestinians to renounce terror and accept Israel as a Jewish state."
The exchange follows Donald Trump's suggestion that a two-state solution to the conflict with Israel is optional.
With visiting Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu by his side at the White House, Mr Trump withheld clear support for an independent Palestinian state.
He declared he could support a one-state solution that produces peace.
But speaking in the United Nations, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has moved to clarify the US position.
"I think, first of all, the administration and the United States supports a two-state solution. But what we support more is peace and stability. And, by bringing the two to the table to have them talk through this in a fresh way, to say, 'Okay, we're going to go back to the drawing board, what can we agree on?' What the President has said, and that we agree on, is expanding settlements at this point is not helpful."
The new ambassador says she will be standing up on behalf on behalf of the United States to what she refers to as the United Nations' anti-Israel bias.
"We will never repeat the terrible mistake of Resolution 2334 and allow one-sided Security Council resolutions to condemn Israel. Instead, we will push for actions on the real threats we face."
Her comments appear to be aimed at soothing tensions in the Middle East caused by the President's remarks.
Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat says the Israeli concept of a single state is unsustainable.
"What Netanyahu is thinking about, the 'one state-two systems' the military government imposed on Palestinians, is apartheid. This is not doable in the 21st century. This is not sustainable in the 21st century. So undermining the two-state solution will spell disaster for Palestinians and Israelis, and that's the truth."
Mr Netanyahu is due to visit Australia next week, where Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is sticking by his support for a two-state solution.
"Well, our position has not changed. Our position is that there should be a two-state solution negotiated between Israel and the Palestinian Authority and that there should be a two-state solution and that will best secure the interests and, indeed, the security of both peoples."
