Israeli Ambassador to France Yael German on Thursday resigned from her post in protest against the incoming government of Benjamin Netanyahu.
Before her political appointment as ambassador in 2021 by then-Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, German served as a Member of Knesset and as Health Minister with Yair Lapid’s leftwing Yesh Atid party. Before entering national politics, German served as a member of the Herzliya Municipal Council for the radical-leftwing Meretz party.
מר נתניה הנכבד,מהות הדמוקרטיה היא זכויות האדם ושמירה על זכויות המיעוט, אני מאוד מקוה שתזכור זאת בתפקידך
החשוב— יעל גרמן Yael German (@GermanYael1) December 29, 2022
“Mr. Netanyahu, the essence of democracy is human rights and protecting the rights of the minority, I really hope you will remember this in your important position,” tweeted German.
The new government, she said, endangers democracy due to its “extreme positions,” and she is therefore unable “to lie to myself and continue to represent policies that are so radically different than what I believe in.”
In a subsequent tweet, she shared a picture of the letter she sent to Netanyahu announcing her resignation.
מכתב ההתפטרות מתפקידי כשגרירת ישראל בצרפת. מכתב ששלחתי לרוה"מ לפני כשעה. pic.twitter.com/O793ezBCKr
— יעל גרמן Yael German (@GermanYael1) December 29, 2022
German earlier this month broke civil service rules by threatening to quit her post for partisan political reasons.
In an interview with i24NEWS, she said: “I’m not sure that I can represent the new government, so if I can’t represent it, I will resign. I’m waiting, I’ll see what kind of government we have and what we do… and then I’ll make my decision.”
Israel’s Civil Service Regulations require that all diplomats refrain from publicly assuming political positions or making personal political statements of any kind.
JewishPress.com News Desk contributed to this report.
