Israeli Ambassador to the United States Sallai Meridor has tendered his resignation to outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, as well as prime minister-designate Binyomin Netanyahu, the Israeli Embassy said in an announcement today. Meridor apprised the three of his decision in closed meetings on Monday, before joining Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on her visit to Israel. “Due to the sensitivity of the ambassador’s post in the most important country in the world that is also Israel’s greatest friend, it would be proper to allow the incoming government the option of appointing – at soon as it is established – its trusted man or woman to the post of ambassador in Washington,” Meridor said in a statement.The outgoing ambassador thanked Olmert and Livni for “the opportunity to serve the country on a central and essential front during a sensitive and challenging time.”
He also wished Netanyahu and the emerging government “much luck in coping with the challenges facing Israel.”
Meridor expressed hope that his replacement would be named in the near future and said that he would remain in office in the interim period.
{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel/JPost}
