The government Friday announced the appointment of Navtej Singh Sarna, the longest serving spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, as its ambassador to Israel.

Sarna, who has been spokesperson for more than four years, will go to Tel Aviv at a crucial time when the Middle East continues to be in turmoil.

A diplomat and author of many books, Sarna is a 1980-batch Indian Foreign Service officer.

'Navtej Singh Sarna, presently joint secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been appointed as the next ambassador of India to Israel. He is expected to take up his assignment shortly,' an official statement said Friday.