Israel’s ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer will leave his post in September after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request to extend him was rejected.
The Israeli Civil Service Commission denied Netanyahu’s petition to keep the ambassador in office because of the upcoming elections in September when Israel is expected to elect members to its legislative body, according to Israel’s Channel 12 news station.
The move comes just one day after Dermer made headlines when he said Israel would allow Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar into the country despite their open support of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement against Israel.
“Out of respect for the U.S. Congress and the great alliance between Israel and America, we would not deny entry to any member of Congress into Israel,” Dermer said at the time.
Dermer will leave his position after six years as Israel’s envoy to Washington. He was appointed in 2013 after serving as Netanyahu’s senior adviser to Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign in 2012.
The ambassador had an unsteady relationship with former President Barack Obama’s administration, specifically with national security adviser Susan Rice.
Axios reported last year that Netanyahu chose to extend Dermer’s term by one year in an unprecedented move. The prime minister made a decision within his Cabinet in March 2017 to lengthen the ambassador’s term from four to five years, which he said was necessary to maintain “continuity” with the U.S. since President Trump had just taken office.
Dermer is widely considered Netanyahu’s closest adviser outside of his immediate family.
