Ambassador Nikki Haley wanted to exit the United Nations with a victory for the history books, the first ambassador to successfully shepherd a resolution in the General Assembly condemning the terror group Hamas.

But it was not to be. Though the United States succeeded in gathering a majority to condemn Gaza’s rulers for its ongoing terror campaign, a parliamentary maneuver by the Palestinians raised the bar for approval to two-thirds rather than a simple majority. Haley exited the chamber as a champion for Israel but a loser in her last match.

Just two hours after the resolution failed, the White House announced that Heather Nauert, a former Fox News anchor and the current State Department spokeswoman, would be nominated as new US ambassador to the United Nations. Unlike Haley, Nauert is an unknown. While Haley had never before held a diplomatic post, she was a former governor, a skilled politician who was a rising star in the Republican Party. To this point, Nauert has distinguished herself in the briefing room only.

Nauert’s first hurdle will come not from hostile diplomats at the UN, but skeptical senators, who reportedly plan to grill Nauert on her diplomatic acumen. If she passes that test, observers say, she is sure to be approved by the Republican-controlled Senate.

Filling Haley’s shoes will be a different story. Haley wasn’t just an ambassador; she was a member of Trump’s cabinet. But Nauert won’t reach that rank — first, because of her political inexperience, and second, because the two men who are shaping the president’s foreign policy, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton, want the next UN ambassador to follow rather than lead.

One Israeli diplomatic source expressed disappointment over the choice. It’s not just that Nauert’s positions and passions on various issues are unknown, it’s that the woman she is replacing was so special. “One thing is certain,” the source said. “There was only one Nikki Haley.”

A Full Plate:

What Awaits Heather Nauert at the UN

• Russian aggression in Ukraine, and Russian cooperation with Syria
• Pressure North Korea to negotiate an end to its nuclear program
• Reach a diplomatic breakthrough in the unending war in Yemen
• Defend Israel against a flurry of anti-Israel resolutions
• Continue to apply diplomatic pressure on Iran

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 739)