Israel Matzav

Dermer to replace Oren in third Netanyahu term?

It's not up in English yet, but the Hebrew version of Barak Ravid's Diplomania blog is reporting that Netanyahu confidante Ron Dermer is going to replace Michael Oren as Israel's ambassador to the United States. Ravid describes Dermer as being the person behind Prime Minister Netanyahu's 'embrace' of Mitt Romney in the recently concluded US election. That ought to thrill the Obama administration. Oren's term expires in May 2013.

The report originally appeared in Makor Rishon, a paper that is sold in hard copy and sent by pdf, which does not have a website. Netanyahu's office did not comment on the report.

Ravid worries that the Obama administration will be unhappy with Dermer. Dermer made aliya in 1997, and his family still lives in Miami, where they are close with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, a leading candidate for the Republican nomination in 2016. The Democrats also believe that Dermer (and Dan Senor) were behind Romney's visit here last summer. (That one is in English).

Ravid reports that the Americans and Europeans believe that Dermer is 'extreme' and that Dermer believes (lions and tigers and bears, oh my!) that Abu Mazen is not a partner for peace. (That link is in English and comes from Wikileaks).

Netanyahu considers Dermer an expert on the United States, and he served as a Finance Ministry emissary there from 2004-08. Ravid claims Dermer is 'too American' to be Israel's ambassador to the United States.

My own view is that we are lucky to have natives of important countries (like Oren and Dermer and like Daniel Taub in the UK), whom we are able to send back to those countries as ambassadors. I would bet that Dermer knows a lot more about the US than Ravid does, even if Ravid is better regarded by the current extreme Leftist administration. I'm sure Dermer will make a far better ambassador than anyone the far Left foreign ministry might favor.

And at least Dermer doesn't favor unilateral expulsion of Jews from their homes in Judea and Samaria.

Shabbat Shalom.

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Michael Oren, Ron Dermer

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:09 PM