Netanyahu says he'll extend US ambassador's term for another year

Prime Minister Netanyahu says he’ll extend Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer’s term for another year, after a TV report said the envoy would complete his tenure in September.

“We’ll extend Ron Dermer’s term by at least a year. He is a fantastic ambassador,” Netanyahu said in a Facebook live video.

According to a Channel 12 report yesterday, the Civil Service Commissioner rejected Netanyahu’s request to extend Dermer’s term.

Before his appointment as ambassador in 2013, Dermer was one of the prime minister’s closest advisers. He is considered to have close ties with the White House and was once a Republican Party operative.