South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. Photo: Facebook.

JNS.org – President-elect Donald Trump has chosen South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to be the next US Ambassador to the United Nations.

Haley, 44, a popular Republican governor and daughter of Indian immigrants, was selected for the post despite having little international experience. Analysts believe the choice of Haley, who signed an order to remove the Confederate flag from South Carolina’s state capitol last year, may be an attempt by Trump to offset his hardline campaign stances on immigration and minorities.

Last year, the pro-Israel community praised Haley for signing a bill opposing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, making South Carolina the first US state to enact an anti-BDS law. While the law does not directly reference Israel, it prevents public entities from contracting with businesses engaging in the “boycott of a person or an entity based in or doing business with a jurisdiction with whom South Carolina can enjoy open trade.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon called Haley “a longstanding and true friend of Israel and is an outspoken fighter against the BDS movement in her state, and throughout the US. I know that we, at the Israeli Mission, will continue to work in full partnership with our friends in the American Mission, as we further strengthen the special bond and shared values between Israel and the US.”