Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed Yechiel Leiter, a U.S.-born former official in the Israeli Finance Ministry, as the new Israeli ambassador to the United States.
Netanyahu praised Leiter as a skilled diplomat and an effective speaker with a deep knowledge of American culture and politics.
Leiter’s appointment follows closely on the heels of Donald Trump’s election to a second term as U.S. president, an event that many in Israel celebrated due to Trump’s strong backing of the country.
The new ambassador’s previous roles include serving as chief of staff in the Finance Ministry, deputy director-general in the Education Ministry, and acting chairman of the Israel Ports Company.
Leiter’s personal connection to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is also significant—his son was killed in combat during last year’s Gaza conflict with Hamas while serving in the Israeli military.
Yisrael Ganz, head of the Yesha Council, which represents Israeli settlements in the West Bank, also welcomed Leiter’s appointment.
Ganz noted that Leiter, a resident of the Gush Etzion settlement, has been an important advocate for Israeli interests in English, particularly in promoting the case for the West Bank, referred to as “Judea and Samaria” by many Israelis.
The territory, captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, is a focal point in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
