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Israeli PM Netanyahu Appoints New Ambassador to United States

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, on June 4, 2023. (AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, on June 4, 2023. (AFP)
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Israeli PM Netanyahu Appoints New Ambassador to United States

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, on June 4, 2023. (AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, on June 4, 2023. (AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed US-born Yechiel Leiter, an official who previously served as chief of staff in the finance ministry, as the next Israeli ambassador to the United States.

"Yechiel Leiter is a highly capable diplomat, an eloquent speaker, and possesses a deep understanding of American culture and politics," Netanyahu said in a statement, Reuters reported.

His appointment was also welcomed by Yisrael Ganz, the head of the Yesha Council, an umbrella organization representing councils of Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a territory Palestinians want as part of a future state.

Ganz said Leiter, who lives in the Gush Etzion settlement area, as "a key partner in English-language advocacy for Judea and Samaria", a name used by many Israelis for the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

Leiter's appointment came three days after Donald Trump's election to a second term as US president, celebrated by many Israelis because of his strong support for Israel.

As well as serving in the finance ministry, Leiter also held positions as deputy director general in the Education Ministry and acting chairman of the Israel Ports Company. His son was killed last year in the Gaza war while serving with the Israeli military.

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Pakistan Military Court Sentences 60 Civilians Up to 10 Years in Prison

Pakistani security officials check people and vehicles at a checkpoint in Peshawar, Pakistan, 24 December 2024. EPA/BILAWAL ARBAB
Pakistani security officials check people and vehicles at a checkpoint in Peshawar, Pakistan, 24 December 2024. EPA/BILAWAL ARBAB
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Pakistan Military Court Sentences 60 Civilians Up to 10 Years in Prison

Pakistani security officials check people and vehicles at a checkpoint in Peshawar, Pakistan, 24 December 2024. EPA/BILAWAL ARBAB
Pakistani security officials check people and vehicles at a checkpoint in Peshawar, Pakistan, 24 December 2024. EPA/BILAWAL ARBAB

A Pakistani military court sentenced sixty civilians to jail time ranging from 2 to 10 years in connection with attacks on military facilities following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in 2023, the military's media wing said on Thursday.
Those sentenced include a relative of Khan as well as two retired military officers. Days earlier, 25 others were sentenced on the same charges, Reuters reported.
Khan’s arrest in May 2023 sparked countrywide protests that saw his supporters attack and ransack military installations in an unprecedented backlash against Pakistan’s powerful army generals.
The military's media wing said, "The Nation, Government, and the Armed Forces remain steadfast in their commitment to upholding justice and ensuring that the inviolable writ of the state is maintained."
The sentences have sparked concerns among Khan's supporters that military courts will play a more significant role in cases related to the former leader, who is facing multiple charges, including inciting attacks against the armed forces.
The international community has also expressed concerns over the sentencing. The United States stated it is "deeply concerned" about the sentences, while the United Kingdom's foreign office noted that trying civilians in military courts "lacks transparency, independent scrutiny and undermines the right to a fair trial".
The European Union also criticized the sentences, saying they are "inconsistent with the obligations that Pakistan has undertaken under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights".
In a press conference on Wednesday, the information minister said the military court sentences do not infringe upon the right to a fair trial, as individuals are granted access to a lawyer, family, and still have the opportunity to appeal twice, both within the military court and civilian court, the relevant high court.
Khan's supporters have denied any wrongdoing, and Khan himself claims that the cases against him are politically motivated.
The military and government have denied any unfair treatment of Khan or his supporters.