A diplomatic row has flarred between Israel and New Zealand after Israel has officially rejected New Zealand’s new ambassador because he’s also an envoy to the Palestinian Authority (PA).
An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman argued that the decision of not accrediting foreign diplomats who are also accredited to the Palestinian Authority is a well-known policy and this it is the way the the way the Israeli Foreign Ministry works.
“We have a well-known policy,” said Emmanuel Nahshon, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman.
“It’s not aimed at New Zealand,” he added.
It is worth highlighting that the case was quite mainstream this time because the 2 former New Zealand ambassadors to Israel were also envoys to the Palestinian Authority, but Israel did accept them.
Israel answered this point saying that it had been unaware of the two previous ambassadors being also envoys to the Palestinian authority.
New Zeeland Foreign Minister Murray said in a statement that “a few days ago, Israel advised New Zealand that it would not accept as ambassador a person who was also a representative to the Palestinian Authority.”
The New Zeeland Prime Minister said that they “are gathering more information on the issue.”
“Our long-standing view has been that there has to be peace in the Middle East, and in the end we want a two-state solution,” he added.
The Israeli Embassy in Wellington, New Zeeland reacted to this row in a statement saying that the matter is “totally unconnected to the good relations between the two countries.”
The Moroccan Times.
