Israel taps staunch supporter of illegal settlements as ambassador to US

Yechiel Leiter’s action comes days aft Trump predetermination triumph and presages expected US-Israel argumentation shift.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has selected Yechiel Leiter arsenic nan caller Israeli ambassador to nan United States, days aft Republican Donald Trump was elected for a 2nd term successful nan White House.

Leiter, a US-born resident of an Israeli colony successful nan occupied West Bank, has agelong been a proponent of illegal colony description . His action coincides pinch nan Netanyahu government’s enthusiastic response to Trump’s return to nan White House.

Trump took a steadfastly loyal approach to Israel during his first term, peculiarly erstwhile it came to Israeli settlements, claiming “the Jewish authorities has ne'er had a amended friend successful nan White House.”

In a connection connected Friday, Netanyahu’s agency pointed to Leiter’s past positions successful nan Israeli government, including arsenic Netanyahu’s main of unit erstwhile nan premier curate was nan caput of finance. He has besides served arsenic nan lawman head wide of nan Ministry of Education and acting president of nan Israel Ports Company.

In a statement, Netanyahu called Leiter “a highly tin diplomat, an eloquent speaker” pinch a heavy knowing of American civilization and politics.

Leiter, who was calved successful Scranton, Pennsylvania, besides the hometown of US President Joe Biden, has precocious been a starring sound calling for much Israeli soldiers fighting successful Gaza and Lebanon – and their families – to play a larger domiciled successful government.

His son, Moshe Leiter, was killed successful bluish Gaza successful November past year.

‘Most extremist streams’

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Michael Omer-Man, nan head of investigation connected Israel-Palestine for Democracy for nan Arab World Now, said Leiter has proved to beryllium a savvy governmental character “who has been moving to push American perceptions astir Israeli colony activity and nan righteousness of Israeli domination of nan full onshore for really his full career.”

Omer-Man added that Leiter “is personification who is ideologically aligned pinch nan astir extremist streams of Israeli colony intelligence thought and ideological movement”.

Israeli settlements are forbidden nether world law.

Leiter continues to unrecorded successful nan colony of Eli located northbound of Ramallah, according to Israeli media, and is listed arsenic nan founding president of a New York-based group – One Israel Fund – which supports settlers successful nan occupied West Bank.

His assignment underscores nan Israeli government’s anticipation of a wider, much permissive argumentation pivot by nan White House erstwhile Trump takes agency successful January.

During his first term, Trump recognised Israeli sovereignty complete nan occupied Golan Heights successful Syria, moved nan US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and oversaw nan restoration of negotiated relations betwixt Israel and respective Arab countries done the Abraham Accords.

He besides reversed nan long-held US position that settlements successful nan occupied West Bank are forbidden nether world law. His first stint successful nan White House saw an detonation successful forbidden settlements successful nan West Bank that continued aft his predetermination nonaccomplishment successful 2020.

While nan Biden management has many times declined to leverage US subject assistance to Israel to rein successful nan expanding warfare successful Gaza and Lebanon, Israeli settlements person been 1 area wherever officials person expressed concerns.

The management has imposed sanctions connected groups and individuals linked to settler unit – a move that immoderate analysts judge will beryllium swiftly reversed by Trump. Last year, nan US summoned Israel’s existent ambassador to nan country, Mike Herzog, complete an Israeli rule that allowed for nan description of settlements successful nan bluish West Bank.

Omer-Man said Leiter’s assignment is apt an early measurement successful laying nan groundwork for wider annexation of nan West Bank and imaginable efforts to resettle Gaza aft nan war. That past point has been pushed by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, himself a settler.

Leiter’s assignment is “at nan very slightest a concession to nan colony activity by Netanyahu, but astir apt much than that, it’s an denotation of wherever Netanyahu’s going”, Omer-Man said.

“We’re going to spot a batch much of these signals,” he added. “The volition is to simply spell measurement further than they did successful nan first Trump term.”