The key to his success, many agree, is whether Erdan will have Netanyahu’s ear
Serving as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations has always been a thankless task. Fighting off condemnatory resolutions in the Security Council while trying to foster cooperation with allies and Arab nations behind the scenes is all in a day’s work.
Two hundred and twenty-five miles away, Israel’s ambassador to Washington also faces an immense challenge. While maintaining relations with the White House, members of Congress, and both major parties, the ambassador must also foster ties with the Jewish community, in addition to implementing Israel’s public diplomacy.
Now, both of these sensitive positions will be filled by a single person, Gilad Erdan, the 49-year-old Likud number four who studied as a youth at the dati-leumi yeshivah tichonit Netiv Meir in Jerusalem. As a student, he was an activist in the anti-Oslo movement. Later, he would serve as an aide to Arik Sharon and Binyamin Netanyahu.
Erdan was first offered the job way back in 2003, shortly after becoming a Knesset member, but he refused. I got to know Erdan during the six years I covered the Knesset. His colleagues consider him a hardworking, ambitious politician, who unlike his rivals, has waited patiently for his turn at leadership. He has not been connected with any scandal or wrongdoing, and is considered a good speaker. As a lawyer, he know knows how to present his arguments clearly.
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