BICOM

Dennis Ross, a senior Middle East aide to US President Barak Obama, has stepped down from his post after three years of service. Ross was expected to work as a special assistant to President Obama for only two years, but extended his service for another year due to the Arab Spring. “It has been an honour 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 yesterday when he announced his resignation. According to a New York Times report, Ross announced his intention to resign during a luncheon with Jewish leaders, saying he was leaving to spend more time with his family.

Following Ross’s announcement, later on Thursday the Washington Institute reported that Ross would rejoin the think tank he had directed in the mid-2000s. “At the Institute, Ambassador Ross will research, write, and lecture on a broad array of critical issues, including U.S.-Israel relations, the Arab-Israeli peace process, and U.S. policy toward Iran,” the institute’s statement said.

The departure of Ross follows the resignation in May of Middle East Envoy George Mitchell and adds to the pressure on Obama’s Middle East policy, with stalled peace talks and little progress being made.