Gilad Erdan Announces His Resignation as Ambassador in D.C., Will Remain as Envoy to UN
Erdan, a former Likud party politician who was appointed by the prior Netanyahu government, said a new ambassador to the U.S. should be appointed by the Bennett-led government
Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to the United States and the United Nations, said Sunday that he has asked to step down as ambassador to Washington once a new ambassador there is appointed, but would continue on as UN ambassador.
Erdan, a former Likud party politician who was appointed by the government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu that left office earlier this month, said he has asked Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to conclude his stint as ambassador in Washington and would not remain in the position beyond November, a date stipulated in the prior government’s coalition agreement between Netanyahu and Kahol Lavan party leader Benny Gantz.
“I am proud of the privilege of representing the State of Israel with the most important of our allies,” Erdan said in reference to his work in Washington. “Since my appointment, I have worked to build and consolidate the ties with the Biden administration to strengthen the alliance between us and to maintain the bipartisan support for Israel.”
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“Nevertheless, in my opinion, the person representing the [Israeli] government to the U.S. administration should be appointed by the current government, and therefore I have informed the prime minister of my readiness to end my tenure immediately after the approval of an ambassador on his behalf by the cabinet,” Erdan said. “I will continue to defend Israel at the United Nations and to fight for the justice of [our cause] in the international arena.”