By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Barely three days after Donald Trump’s victory as the President-elect of the US, Israel Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has appointed Yechiel Leiter as the next Israeli ambassador to the United States.
US-born Leiter had previously served as chief of staff in the finance ministry. He has also held positions as deputy director general in the Education Ministry and acting chairman of the Israel Ports Company.
“Yechiel Leiter is a highly capable diplomat, an eloquent speaker, and possesses a deep understanding of American culture and politics,” Netanyahu said in a statement on Friday.
Israelis had celebrated the election of Trump for a second term in office because of his strong support for Israel in its war against Hamas and Hezbollah militant groups in the Middle East.
Leiter’s son, while serving with the Israeli army was killed last year in the Gaza war against the Palestinian-backed Hamas.
Leiter’s appointment was also welcomed by Yisrael Ganz, the head of the Yesha Council, an umbrella organisation representing councils of Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a territory Palestinians want as part of a future state.
Israeli officials were some of the first foreign leaders to congratulate Trump on his election victory on Wednesday, with some hailing it as a win for their country.
The sentiment reflects Trump’s record of a strong support for Israel.
Soon after he took office the first term, Trump reversed decades of careful diplomacy when in 2017 he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and said the United States would move its embassy to the city.
The embassy was relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem the following year.
