Israel recalls diplomat over memo

[Heidi]

Source: BBC

Page last updated at 03:01 GMT, Sunday, 9 August 2009 04:01 UK

Israel's foreign ministry has summoned for consultation a senior diplomat for criticising the government for harming ties with the United States.

Nadav Tamir, consul-general in Boston, will travel to Jerusalem next week to give "clarification" to the ministry.

In an internal memo, Mr Tamir wrote that public clashes with Washington over settlement construction were "causing strategic damage to Israel".

The government said he had violated protocol by expressing political views.

The three-page document, entitled "Sad thoughts on Israel-US relations", was leaked to Israel's Channel 10 TV.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8191916.stm

[Pirate Smile]

1. Hmmmm. Interesting.

[Violet_Crumble]

2. Okay, so they don't want diplomats concerning themselves with relations with other countries...

Very strange attitude, seeing that's the reason diplomats are posted to other countries...

[bjobotts]

3. No they don't want them expressing or leaking it to the local News channel

[bjobotts]

4. That's why it's called "diplomacy".

[Lithos]

6. Countries don't want diplomats creating foreign policy

They are supposed to be instruments through which foreign policy is enacted. Ie, diplomats aren't supposed to be independent.

L-

[Wizard777]

8. He's not enacting foreign policy. He's merely being honest about the effects that policy is having.

He is fulfilling his probative function. Apparently Israel doesn't want to hear the truth about their Foreign Policy. Basically it's a big steaming pile of crap. There are people who used to support Israel's positions that no longer do. They are in the process of making themselves political pariah.

[HamdenRice]

9. Diplomats posted to foreign countries are supposed to provide objective information and analysis

from the unique perspective of being there "on the ground." Apparently the Ministry of Foreign affairs doesn't want objective information and analysis -- a prescription for diplomatic disaster.

[leveymg]

5. This is about the split between Netanyahu and Obama, and between Israel and American Jews.

Under the extremist Likud gov't, quite predictably, the whole thing is coming undone. This is a fight that the Israeli Right-wing can only lose.

More from the article:

Mr Tamir said in his memo that narrow political considerations were contributing to the deterioration of bilateral ties.

"There are people in US and Israeli politics who ideologically oppose Obama, and are willing to sacrifice the special relationship between the two countries in order to advance their political agenda."

The "atmosphere of confrontation", he warned, was alienating the US public and putting the Jewish community in a difficult position.

"Many of them are distancing themselves from the state of Israel because of this conflict," he wrote.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has reportedly demanded to know how Mr Tamir's letter was leaked to the media.

[Union Yes]

7. He must need "retraining".They'll beat loyalty back into him.

:sarcasm:

[ohio2007]

10. "Sad thoughts on Israel-US relations", sounds like "an unfortunate conclusion" has been reached

maybe not irrevocable but a difference of opinion will lead to taking isolated decisions in the future

[bemildred]

11. Kill the messenger. nt