The Israeli cabinet on Sunday sealed the appointment of Ron Prosor, Israel’s current envoy in London, to permanent ambassador at the UN after the post had become vacant last June.

“Prosor was an excellent envoy in Britain, and his appointment to the UN is very important at this time,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.

It is yet unknown who will succeed Prosor in London. Netanyahu initially favored former national security adviser Uzi Arad for the job, but the appointment was nixed by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman a few days after it was announced, a move that triggered bitter political feuding.

Arad, fuming at the prime minister for succumbing to Lieberman, tendered his resignation from the National Security Council on Feb. 20, saying he would be returning to academia.

Prosor’s appointment also ends long months of criticism that Israel is effectively leaving the UN wide open to Palestinian efforts to promote initiatives opposed by Israel.

Unnamed members of Israel’s diplomatic mission to the UN in earlier February described Netanyahu’s lingering delay in naming a permanent envoy as “gross irresponsibility,” saying it comes at a critical time in the light of Israel’s dwindling international image.

The criticism became evident on Feb. 18, when the Palestinians nearly succeeded in obtaining a UN Security Council draft resolution that would have condemned Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as illegal, thwarted at the last moment by a U.S. veto.

Prosor, former director-general of the Foreign Ministry, will replace Meron Reuben, who has temporarily filled the UN post since August as acting ambassador.