After being rejected as Israel’s next ambassador to Brazil, Dani Dayan will replace Ido Aharoni, who has served as consul-general in New York since February of 2011, in New York, USA.According to Jpost, Dayan said that an important role in thwarting the Brasilia post was played by the “Israeli branch of BDS,” who lobbied Brazilian diplomats and politicians against his appointment.
He added that, when Netanyahu appointed him, in August of last year, as envoy to Brazil, he actually wanted to be sent to New York, either as UN ambassador, or as consul-general. Danny Danon received the UN position.
According to the PNN, Dayan posted a Twitter message saying that he will maintain an open and inclusive dialogue with all parts of the general and Jewish communities in New York. “No exclusions,” he wrote. “I intend to reach out to Orthodox & Reforms, Liberals & Conservatives, Republicans & Democrats.”
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely praised the Dayan’s appointment to New York, and said that sending him to one of the most strategic posts in the U.S. sends a message to the world that Israel stands behind Dayan as a worthy representative of the Jewish state.
Dayan himself is a settler, living in the illegal settlement of Ma’ale Shomron, in the northern occupied West Bank. He immigrated to Israel from Argentina as a teenager, and made his professional start as the founder of an IT company.
Dayan is best known as the most successful advocate for Israel’s illegal settlements in the occupied territories. He worked for the settler public relations firm, the Yesha Council, for 13 years years, of which the last five he severed as the group’s chairman before stepping down to begin a term as a foreign media advisor to Netanyahu.
Last year, Brazil rejected Dayan’s nomination as Israel’s next ambassador to that country, causing a diplomatic crisis between the two governments.
At that time, one of the Brazilian government’s main critics over Israel’s choice was that Netanyahu skipped all diplomatic protocols when announced Dayan’s appointment: it was not preceded by any communication with the Brazilian Foreign Ministry nor any presentation of his credentials for an agreement.
Furthermore, Brazil also did not see with good eyes the fact that Dayan is the former head of the Yesha Council, a representative body of illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, which Brazil considers as illegal and an impediment to the creation of a future Palestinian state.
On January 8, a group of 40 retired Brazilian diplomats signed a statement against it, re -stating discontentment with the way he was announced and with his role in the settlement movement.
According to U.S. state department policy, America also views Israel’s settlements in occupied Palestinian territory illegal under international law.
UN: Settlements Root Cause of Violations against Palestinians
