Israel’s Foreign Ministry officially back in business
Something good is happening with Israel’s Foreign Ministry, as vacant positions are being filled and a spirit of projects advancing is filling the corridors.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry’s Appointments Committee nominated July 29 veteran diplomat Alexander Ben Zvi to be the country’s new ambassador to Russia. The embassy in Moscow has been functioning for almost a year without an ambassador, so this is certainly good news, especially since Ben Zvi previously served in Moscow. He is currently Israel’s envoy to Poland, and has been ambassador to Slovakia and Costa Rica. Many see Ben Zvi as the right man for the right mission.
But the good news did not stop there. The Appointments Committee also nominated other ambassadors and heads of missions: Irit Ben-Abba was nominated to be Israel’s ambassador to China, Eddie Shapira to be consul general in Shanghai, Alex Goldman-Scheiman to be ambassador to Belarus and Yonatan Tzedaka to be consul general in Bangalore.
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi took office May 18. Today, 2½ months later, the ministry is bursting with activity. No longer are there feelings of the ministry being ignored by its own minister; the impression that the public had forgotten all about the ministry is gone; and feelings that other government ministries were sidelining the Foreign Ministry have been cast by the wayside.
The first sign of revival was certainly the new wave of nominations. On June 7, the government approved the appointment of Amira Oron as the country’s new ambassador to Egypt. The embassy had no ambassador for over a year and a half. Her nomination also meant that the embassy would be headed by a professional diplomat, not by a former politician. On July 5, the Appointments Committee chose 10 new ambassadors and one consul general. These included several new female ambassadors such as Hagit Ben-Yaakov, Meirav Eilon Shahar and Zehavit Ben Hillel.
