JERUSALEM (JTA) — Ron Dermer, a former senior adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly will be Israel’s new ambassador to the United States.
The appointment by Netanyahu will be announced soon, Army Radio reported Friday.
The Prime Minister’s Office did not confirm the report and a television report said the appointment was not a sure deal.
Dermer, who immigrated to Israel from Florida 15 years ago, would take up his new post in August and succeed Michael Oren, who also is American-born.
Dermer left the Prime Minister’s Office in March after four years in a senior position.
The Obama administration reportedly had objected to Dermer’s appointment, according to Army Radio, after he appeared to support Republican candidate Mitt Romney during the last U.S. election campaign.
It has since dropped its objections after Dermer improved his relations with key Obama administration officials, including Secretary of State John Kerry, according to the report.
Israel’s Channel 10, which last week tweeted that the appointment was imminent, on Friday night reported that the appointment was not a sure deal.
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