US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shaprio announced that he will resign his position as the top US diplomat in Israel on January 20, the day of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.
Ambassador Shapiro has served as President Barack Obama's envoy to Israel since 2011.
Leslie Tsou, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US embassy in Tel Aviv, will take over at the embassy until the Senate approves Trump's appointment of David Friedman as the new US Ambassador to Israel.
Shapiro will be allowed to remain in Israel after he submits his resignation until the end of the school year.
Incoming Ambassador David Friedman served as Trump's adviser on Israel affairs during the election campaign. He has stated that he supports moving the US embassy to Israel's capital, Jerusalem, that the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria are legal and should continue to build, and is a contributor to Arutz Sheva.