Back in August, former Yesha Council head Danny Dayan was appointed as Israel’s new ambassador to Brazil. In a confrontational move, which some view as a diplomatic embarrassment for Israel, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is unwilling to accept the appointment. It appears the president and other Brazilian officials are unwilling to accept the credentials of an ambassador who was a prominent settlement leader and who lives in a settlement, Maale Shomron.
The message from President Rousseff places Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is a dilemma, as the appointment has already been approved by the cabinet about two weeks ago. Diplomatic officials explain that such a situation, in which a country is unwilling to accept an ambassador, is extremely rare as most countries prefer to avoid a diplomatic confrontation.
If the prime minister pulls Dayan it will be nothing less than a slap in the face to Dayan and the settlement movement. It may also set a dangerous precedent, that one who lives in Yehuda or Shomron is disqualified from such a post. Today a number of cabinet ministers and the Knesset Speaker are residents to Yehuda and Shomron, not to mention Members of Knesset.
On the other hand, insisting on an ambassador who is unwelcome will do little to advance diplomatic relations. After announcing the appointment, Mr. Netanyahu said “Latin America is one of the main objectives of the State of Israel in the context of its efforts to develop markets that will contribute to increasing economic growth. I am confident that Dani Dayan will bring to the post his considerable experience and will deepen relations between Israel and Brazil”, highlighting the significance of the post for Israel.
Dayan, 59, was born in Argentina. He served as head of the Yesha Council from 2007-2013 and earned the title “Foreign Minister of Yehuda and Shomron” as he worked hard to develop a different image of the yishuvim and those who live in them.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
Israel should expect not only that most countries will refuse to accept ambassadors who live in the West Bank (or in parts of Jerusalem the Jordanians controlled from 1949-1967), but that they may not honor the passports of Israeli citizens with West Bank addresses (on the theory they don’t live in Israel). In theory Israel can retaliate by breaking diplomatic relations and, in theory, declaring war, but that is not realistic. The real danger is that the United States will adopt such a position, as US policy under the Democrats has certianly been moving in that direction.
It would be appropriate to send Brazil’s ambassador to Israel home.
Since when does a country dictate who another country names as its ambassador?
Israel should leave the post vacant until this anti-Semite president either comes to her senses or is out of office.
BTW she is no particular friend of the US either.