The Foreign Office has revealed that the next British ambassador to Israel will be David Quarrey.

Currently director of the department’s Near East and North Africa desk, he will replace Matthew Gould in July.

Mr Gould has been in Tel Aviv since 2010 and was the first British Jewish diplomat to be appointed to the role.

Mr Quarrey has worked for the Foreign Office for more than 20 years and has served in British missions at the United Nations in New York, in New Delhi and in Harare.

He served as a private secretary to Tony Blair during the Labour leader's time as Prime Minister.

He said: “I am delighted to be appointed as British ambassador to Israel. It is a great privilege to have this opportunity to deepen our already thriving economic, science and technology ties with Israel, cooperate against shared security threats and work for progress towards peace.”

Speaking at a Wizo UK fundraising dinner on Monday night, Mr Gould said: "I have to tell you it will be very hard to go. Very hard to leave the place where we started our family, the only place my girls have ever called home.

“Through all the hard times in Israel, the Jewish community back home has played a very special, a very important role for us. The Jewish community is an absolute pillar for the relationship between the two countries."