Obama’s Middle East envoy to step down

The Obama administration’s Middle East envoy, Dennis Ross, is stepping down, the White House announced Thursday.

Ross had originally agreed to serve in the role for two years but because of the Arab Spring, Ross extended his time in the position for almost a year.

{mosads}”He has served as special assistant to the President and senior director for the Central Region at an historic time in the Middle East and North Africa, and has played a critical role in our efforts to apply unprecedented pressure on the Iranian government, support democratic transitions in the region, and deepen our security relationship with Israel while pursuing Israeli-Palestinian peace,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a statement. 

Ross came to the Obama administration with extensive diplomatic experience. He previously served in both the George H.W. Bush and Clinton administrations, working toward a peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians. Ross also served as an adviser on the Middle East to then-Illinois Senator Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign.

Ross initially joined the Obama administration as a State Department senior adviser in February 2009. In June of that same year he was moved to the National Security Council.

Ross said although there is still work to be done in his role, he is stepping down to fulfill a promise he made to his wife.

“It has been an honor to work in the Obama Administration and to serve this President, particularly during a period of unprecedented change in the broader Middle East,” Ross said in a statement. “Obviously, there is still work to do but I promised my wife I would return to government for only two years and we both agreed it is time to act on my promise. I am grateful to President Obama for having given me the opportunity once again to work on a wide array of Middle Eastern issues and challenges and to support his efforts to promote peace in the region.”