Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu names Yechiel Leiter ambassador to the United States

Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday announced that Yechiel Leiter will become the country's new ambassador to the United States just days after Donald Trump won re-election as president.

Leiter will start his new role on Jan. 10, less than two weeks before Trump formally returns to the White House.

Netanyahu said Leiter was born in the United States and is "deeply familiar" with American society and administration. He pointed out that his son Moshe Yedidya Leiter lost in life in combat during the current war with Hamas on Nov. 10, 2023.

"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 X. "I am convinced that Yechiel will represent the State of Israel in the best way possible. I wish him success in his position."

Leiter had served as Israel's deputy director-general of the Education Ministry, chief of staff under Netanyahu when he was finance minister and was acting chair3 of the Ports Authority. He earned his doctorate from the University of Haifa in Israel.