Benjamin Netanyahu made a notable choice picking Yechiel Leiter as Israelʼs next US ambassador‚ the announcement came right after Trumps election success
The timing of this pick - just after Trump secured his win - points to possible new-directions in US-Israel relations (with many experts watching the situation closely). Leiter‚ who used to be Netanyahuʼs right-hand man back in his finance-ministry days knows his way around both countries politics; he was born in America
The soon-to-be ambassador lives in the West Bank settlement of Eli: his strong pro-settlement views make some wonder about future plans for the region. Last yr‚ he faced personal tragedy when his son died fighting Hamas in Gaza
Yechiel Leiter is a highly-capable diplomat‚ an eloquent speaker‚ and has a deep understanding of American culture and politics
The previous Trump-Netanyahu partnership brought big wins for Israel; including US recognition of Jerusalem as capital and moving their embassy there. The new ambassador will start his job on jan-20th when Trump takes office again‚ bringing his unique mix of American roots and Israeli settlement experience to DC