Some Democratic senators are not enthused about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to appoint Yechiel Leiter as Israel’s next ambassador to the United States, citing Leiter’s pro-settlement policies and past ties to the Jewish Defense League, a group the U.S. later designated as a terrorist organization.

Their comments suggest that Leiter could face a rocky relationship with Democrats on Capitol Hill as he works to represent Israel to Congress.

Netanyahu’s office announced Leiter’s appointment early last month, ahead of the conclusion of Ambassador Michael Herzog’s term on Jan. 20. Leiter served as Netanyahu’s chief of staff when he was finance minister and as an aide to former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the Knesset, as well as deputy director-general of the Education Ministry. A resident of the West Bank settlement of Eli, Leiter has long advocated for Israeli settlements in the region after moving there with a group of fellow JDL activists as a young man. 

Leiter is no longer officially a member of the JDL, a fringe organization behind dozens of bombings and scores of murders across the United States since its founding in 1968, but he remains a controversial figure in left-leaning circles over his vocal support for Israeli annexation of the West Bank. He left the group when moving to the West Bank area at the age of 18. More recently, Leiter has been affiliated with numerous right-leaning organizations in Israel, including the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and the Kohelet Forum.

Leiter is an ordained rabbi, has a doctorate in political philosophy and has written several books. Netanyahu brought Leiter as his guest to his speech to a joint session of Congress in July, and paid tribute to his son Moshe, who died in combat in Gaza last year. 

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), who recently voted in favor of blocking arms transfers to Israel, said the decision to appoint Leiter served as an example of Netanyahu placing a wedge between the U.S. and Israel. 

“I think the Netanyahu government is going in the wrong direction, and this is another manifestation of that. We have always been able to credibly make the case that America’s interest and Israel’s interest are aligned, but these guys are making it more and more difficult,” Schatz said. 

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), who voted in favor of continuing arms shipments, told JI that Leiter’s JDL connections were “concerning.”

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), who voted in favor of halting some arms transfers to Israel, called Leiter a “troubling choice given his history with the JDL and the Kahanist movement and his current position on annexation of the West Bank.”

Asked about the implications of the choice for U.S.-Israel relations, Van Hollen said, “we’ll have to see.”
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), the outgoing chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said, “I don’t know a lot about him. I have a really good relationship with Ambassador Herzog. He’s been very transparent and open with us. We recognize that the ambassador will represent the government, but it’s important to have an open relationship.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said he wasn’t familiar with the pick, but said he “would love to talk to him.”

“At the end of the day, he is the ambassador who carries a message from his country that is determined by Prime Minister Netanyahu,” Blumenthal continued. “He’s not an independent actor.”

The Israeli embassy in Washington could not be reached for comment.