Despite a procedural limbo stemming from the upcoming Israeli election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Sunday to extend Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer's ambassadorship by at least a year.
Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer was appointed six years ago and according to a Channel 12 report from Saturday, Netanyahu was told he could not extend his term at this point because Israel was in the midst of an election period.
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During such a period, the government becomes a transition government and is barred from making major decisions.
But Netanyahu insisted Sunday that Dermer's was not going to leave his post for at least another 12 months after he completed his term this September, saying: "He is a fantastic ambassador. I have good news – we will extend his term by at least another year."
During his tenure, Dermer has had a contentious relationship with the Obama administration but a close one with the Trump White House.
Before being appointed in 2013, Dermer, who was born in Florida and moved to Israel in 1996, served as Netanyahu's senior adviser to Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign.
Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.
