Dermer’s departure creating vacuum that’s impacting US-Israel ties — report

Ex-minister said to run into legal issues over plan to remain involved in matters as private citizen; talks with Syria reportedly frozen over lack of replacement for Dermer

A growing vacuum has reportedly been felt in US-Israel relations following the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s top aide, strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer, last month.

His absence is particularly felt as the sides prepare for a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu in Florida on December 29, Channel 12 reported on Thursday, citing unnamed US and Israeli officials.

The network described Dermer as an “institution” in Washington who was widely known and respected across the political spectrum, adding that his role is impossible to fill by any existing official currently in Netanyahu’s circle.

Trump’s top aides have resorted to calling Netanyahu directly several times a week, as they don’t feel comfortable working with the premier’s aides, Channel 12 reported.

The US-born Dermer is seen as Netanyahu’s closest adviser and has been handling a wide range of diplomatic issues, including ties with Washington, the hostage negotiations during the Gaza war, and Israel’s relations with its Arab neighbors.

Dermer was supposed to transition to a position of special envoy that would allow him to remain involved in various issues. However, there have been legal issues in establishing the position, given that Dermer is now a private citizen.

Accordingly, talks between Israel and Syria have been suspended, as Israel hasn’t had a representative to lead them, the report said. Dermer was supposed to participate in such negotiations days after resigning, but had to withdraw due to the Israeli government’s legal concerns regarding a private citizen’s involvement.

The talks were aimed at reaching a security arrangement with Syria, after the 1974 disengagement deal inked at the end of the Yom Kippur war collapsed when Bashar al-Assad’s regime was overthrown in December.

Israel took control of territories in southern Syria after Assad fled, with Jerusalem wary of the new Syrian leader’s past as an al-Qaeda commander and citing fears the area would fall into the wrong hands.

Netanyahu told US envoy Tom Barrack earlier this week that he will appoint a replacement for Dermer soon, Channel 12 reported.

On Gaza, Netanyahu has appointed Israeli-American businessman Michael Eisenberg as his representative in talks relating to the implementation of Trump’s Gaza peace plan. But Eisenberg is not as close to Netanyahu, and the White House does not see him as an authority, according to the network.

Dermer was Israel’s ambassador to the US from 2013 to 2021 and was a key negotiator of the Abraham Accords, which saw the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco normalize relations with Israel in 2020.

In August, the Israel Hayom daily reported Dermer has been discussing his retirement since Israel’s 12-day war in June that targeted Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missiles program.