Even before Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s senior adviser Ron Dermer has
formally tendered his resignation, Dore Gold’s name has been tossed into the
ring as a possible replacement.
Gold, who served as ambassador to the UN
during Netanyahu’s first tenure, is currently the president of the Jerusalem
Center for Public Affairs. A New York Times story on Sunday said he was
“expected to soon become Mr. Netanyahu’s senior adviser.”
Gold, who meets
with Netanyahu on a regular basis every few weeks, said reports he will take
over from Dermer were “untrue.” He said that while from time to time various
possible roles have been discussed, nothing has been agreed upon.
Dermer
is widely expected to leave his post as one of Netanyahu’s top advisers – and a
central interlocutor with Washington – following US President Barack Obama’s
visit to Israel at the end of March.
Gold’s name has been raised a number
of times in the past within the context of becoming Israel’s ambassador to the
US.
The Prime Minister’s Office, which has not yet confirmed that Dermer
is leaving, declined to comment on a possible future role for Gold.