Yitzhak Molcho served as Benjamin Netanyahu’s personal envoy to peace talks with the Palestinians. Image by getty images

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s diplomatic envoy, attorney Yitzhak Molcho, has resigned.

Molcho served as Netanyahu’s diplomatic envoy during his first term as prime minister in 1996-99 and again since Netanyahu returned to office in 2009. He served as an Israeli negotiator during the 2013-14 Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

He will leave his position in February in order to give the prime minister time to find a replacement. Molcho had requested to be relieved of his voluntary position a year ago, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office issued Wednesday.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

In a letter to Molcho thanking him for his service, Netanyahu wrote: “I need not enumerate the sensitive and important diplomatic missions that you have carried out. You did so with a rare combination of ability, experience and a deep and comprehensive knowledge of the issues. The time has not yet come to reveal all of your activities but I am certain that when that time does come, the citizens of Israel will greatly appreciate your contribution.”

Former Foreign Ministry director-general and Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Dore Gold is reported to be Molcho’s likely successor. Gold is currently president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs think tank.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount