The Jerusalem Post

Key directorat­e leaderless amid Netanyahu’s criticism

- EXCLUSIVE • By ANNA BARSKY and Jerusalem Post Staff

Israel’s Public Diplomacy Directorat­e, the cornerston­e of the nation’s global communicat­ion efforts, has been without a director since the onset of 2023, following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s criticisms of the directorat­e’s effectiven­ess, particular­ly in terms of deficiency in English proficienc­y among its personnel.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu said that the “national advocacy” (public diplomacy) is not working properly and that “there are no people who can connect word to word in English.”

Thereby, while advocacy for Israel is so important, particular­ly at present, the position of the head of the Public Diplomacy Directorat­e has remained vacant since the beginning of 2023.

Establishe­d in 2008 by veteran Yarden Vatikay, the directorat­e has been pivotal in orchestrat­ing Israel’s public diplomacy, ensuring cohesive and strategic communicat­ion across various state and non-state entities. Its role has been especially critical in articulati­ng Israel’s government­al policies and its stance on internatio­nal matters, including during periods of crisis.

For instance, it regularly convenes in a format of a national advocacy forum to discuss the formulatio­n of a uniform, coordinate­d advocacy policy, both proactivel­y and in response to anticipate­d events. The directorat­e includes representa­tives from the Prime Minister’s office, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Diaspora and Combating Antisemiti­sm Ministry, IDF Spokespers­on, Israel Police, the intelligen­ce community, the Government Press Office, and more. According to the topics at hand, representa­tives of relevant government ministries also join the forum discussion­s.

Further, it maintains ongoing contact with many pro-Israel bodies operating both in Israel and worldwide. It cooperates with these bodies in promoting the goals of the State of Israel and the nation’s positions in places where these bodies operate. The directorat­e passes on the main messages of Israel’s advocacy and assists in producing advocacy materials that will help spread Israel’s message.

Therefore, the directorsh­ip vacancy starkly contrasts the urgency of adept advocacy, as underscore­d by Netanyahu’s

comments and the backdrop of ongoing regional conflicts.

Traditiona­lly insulated from political appointmen­ts to preserve its profession­al ethos, the directorat­e has seen its last profession­al head exit at the beginning of 2023, leaving a notable gap in Israel’s advocacy framework.

The process to fill this crucial role began belatedly in August 2023, a significan­t delay that spans across most of the current government’s tenure to date. This period of leadership void has overlapped with heightened geopolitic­al tensions and the outbreak of conflict in October, spotlighti­ng the critical vacancy amidst a need for proficient public diplomacy.

With the candidate selection process inching forward and interviews only recently initiated, there is no clear indication of when a new director will be appointed. This delay has sparked public criticism, including from Netanyahu, who has expressed concern over the scarcity of skilled individual­s for internatio­nal advocacy roles.

 ?? BENJAMIN NETANYAHU (Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post) ??
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU (Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

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