‘RADICALLY DIFFERENT’

Israeli Ambassador Resigns in Protest of New Netanyahu Government

The country’s ambassador to France accused Netanyahu of defying Israel’s Declaration of Independence and upholding anti-democratic values.

Israeli ambassador to France Yael German announced on Thursday that she will quit office in an act of public defiance after the country’s new government swore in Benjamin Netanyahu, and with him, the nation’s most far-right leadership in history. Netanyahu was ousted from office in 2021 as he battled a trial over bribery, fraud and breach of trust but was re-elected prime minister this year. “Sadly,” German wrote in a letter to Netanyahu, “the government you established and lead includes representatives of parties whose extreme positions are expressed in its guidelines, in its policies, and in statements on legislation — illegitimate legislation in my eyes — it intends to pass.” German began her political career in the left-leaning Meretz Party and has been an ally of outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid. Accusing the new government of having anti-democratic values and defying the county’s Declaration of Independence, German added that she cannot “lie to myself and continue to represent policies that are so radically different from what I believe in.”