Brazil’s rejection of Israel’s ambassador creates tension

Israel is threatening to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Brazil in protest over Brasilia's refusal to accept former West Bank settler leader Dani Dayan as Israel's new ambassador to the country.

Mr Dayan, who headed the Yesha settlers' council before acting as the council's chief foreign envoy, was tapped by prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who is also foreign minister, for the job.

The appointment was announced in August.

Diplomatic snub

However, Brazil’s left-leaning government, which supports Palestinian statehood, in a rare diplomatic snub refused to approve the appointment.

An unnamed Brazilian official earlier this month said they hoped Israel would take the hint and choose another candidate.

Israel's previous ambassador, Reda Mansour, left Brasilia last week, and Israel's deputy foreign minister, Tzipi Hotovely, said Israel will leave diplomatic relations with Brazil at a lower level if Mr Dayan's appointment is not confirmed.

“The foreign ministry will use all means at its disposal to ensure that Dani Dayan’s appointment as ambassador is successful.

“Israel will not accept the phenomenon of rejecting an ambassador for ideological reasons, and we will use diplomatic means to make this as clear as possible.”

She said Brazil's ambassador to Israel will be summoned to the foreign ministry in Jerusalem in the new year and Israel would lobby Brasilia through the Brazilian Jewish community, close associates of Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff, and direct appeals from Mr Netanyahu.

Argentinian-born Mr Dayan, who lives in the West Bank settlement of Ma’ale Shomron, has been learning Portuguese since his appointment.

He remained silent throughout the crisis but decided to speak up with a weekend interview to the Ha’aretz newspaper, in which he criticised the Israeli leadership for its “passive” response to the Brazilian move.

He warned that if the appointment is rejected a dangerous diplomatic precedent will be set.

“I don’t know if I will be the ambassador in Brazil, and personally it doesn’t matter that much. It would even make things much easier for me, but I am fighting for the next ambassador who is a settler.

“From the standpoint of conscience and ideology, I am not prepared to allow myself to be the one who creates the precedent that a resident of Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] or even the chairman of the Yesha council can’t represent . . . Israel abroad.”

Mr Dayan’s appointment received support from across the political spectrum, including from centre-left politicians, although a group of left-wing former foreign ministry staffers spoke out against it.

Brazilian Jews

The Palestinian lobby in Brazil campaigned against the appointment, enlisting support from members of parliament, left-wing Brazilian Jews and Arab ambassadors.

Israel is reluctant to turn the issue into a full diplomatic dispute. Brazil is Israel’s largest trade partner in South America, highlighted by Israeli technology sales to Brazil’s aerospace and defence industries.

Israeli firms have also won lucrative security contracts linked to next summer’s Olympics in Rio.