White House Middle East Coordinator Steps Down

The White House Middle East Coordinator and Special Assistant to the President Philip Gordon is stepping down and will be succeeded by Rob Malley.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The White House Middle East Coordinator Philip Gordon is stepping down and will be succeeded by Rob Malley, the National Security Council’s (NSC) spokesperson Bernadette Meehan announced in a statement.

“Philip Gordon, Special Assistant to the President and White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf Region will be stepping down, and will be succeeded by Rob Malley, currently NSC Senior Director for Iran, Iraq, Syria and the Gulf States,” Meehan said in the statement Friday. “

Malley served as Special Assistant to US President Bill Clinton for Arab-Israeli Affairs from 1998 to 2001, and will officially replace Gordon on April 6, according to the White House statement.

“At the National Security Council, Phil played a critical role on some of the most important and challenging issues facing this country, including the Iranian nuclear program; our strategic partnership with Israel; Middle East peace; Syria; Iraq; US relations with the Gulf States; and the democratic transitions in Egypt and North Africa,” National Security Advisor Susan Rice said in the statement on Friday.

The White House said they are eager to work with Malley who has helped form US policy on Iran, Iraq Syria and the Gulf.