In somewhat of a surprising move, Israel’s Ambassador to Washington DC, Sallai Meridor, has announced he is returning home.

Apparently, Israel’s ambassador to the United States informed Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Prime Minister-designate Binyamin Netanyahu earlier this week, before accompanying US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on her Mideast visit.

Meridor has been in the post since October 2006. In his official statement, he announced that his post is representative to “the most important country in the world”, and as such, he feel the incoming government should be permitted to appoint its ‘own man in Washington’ and he is stepping down to make this possible. Ambassador Meridor added he will of course remain in his position until his replacement is appointed.

The ambassador is a brother of Likud MK and likely minister Dan Meridor, and he replaced former ambassador Danny Ayalon, who today is an MK in the 18th Knesset, affiliated with Yisrael Beitenu. 

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)