Netanyahu appoints Yechiel Leiter as Israeli ambassador to US
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has named Yechiel Leiter, a former chief of staff in the Finance Ministry, as Israel’s new ambassador to the United States.
The announcement came on Friday, just three days after Donald Trump won a second term as U.S. President—a victory welcomed by many in Israel for his supportive stance toward the country.
“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.
Leiter’s extensive career includes serving as deputy director general in the Education Ministry and acting chairman of the Israel Ports Company. His appointment is seen as a strategic move to strengthen US-Israel relations during Trump’s upcoming term.
Tragically, Leiter’s son was killed last year during the Gaza war while serving in the Israeli military against the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Yisrael Ganz, head of the Yesha Council—an umbrella organization representing Jewish settlement councils in the Israeli-occupied West Bank—welcomed the appointment.
“Leiter, who resides in the Gush Etzion settlement area, has been a key partner in English-language advocacy for Judea and Samaria,” Ganz said, using the terms many Israelis apply to the West Bank, which was captured by Israel during the 1967 Middle East war.
Leiter’s appointment is expected to bolster Israel’s diplomatic efforts and reinforce its ties with the US amidst ongoing regional complexities.
