WASHINGTON (JTA) — Dennis Ross is officially moving to the National Security Council.
The NSC announced that Ross will become special assistant to the president and senior director for the Central region, which includes the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Pakistan and South Asia. He had been serving at the State Department as special adviser to the secretary of state for the Persian Gulf and Southwest Asia.
The NSC statement said Ross will "work with" a number of other staffers already working policy in the region, including senior director for Near East and North Africa Dan Shapiro.
Speculation has swirled as to why Ross was moving from the State Department to the White House after just a few months on the job, but the NSC statement did not provide any explanation.
Ross was the lead Middle East negotiator during the Clinton administration.
