PERSON: Yechiel Leiter

Embassy of Israel – Washington, D.C.

Israeli Ambassador to the United States

Yechiel “Michael” Leiter (born October 1, 1959) is an American-born Israeli historian of philosophy, public policy analyst, rabbi and settlement activist. He is a resident scholar at the Herzl Institute in Jerusalem. On January 27, 2025, he assumed the position of Israeli ambassador to the United States. He previously served as chief of staff to Benjamin Netanyahu at the Israeli Ministry of Finance and as political assistant to Ariel Sharon in the Israeli parliament. An ordained rabbi, Leiter has written three books and numerous essays on the politics of the Middle East. He is affiliated with the Kohelet Policy Forum.

For many years he resided in West Bank settlement Eli with his wife and their eight children. In recent years he has lived in Alon Shevut. His son, Major (Res.) Moshe Yedidia Leiter, a medical graduate, served as a platoon commander in the Shaldag Unit and was killed in the northern Gaza Strip in 2023 in the Gaza war.

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