Calling Netanyahu’s latest move ‘dangerous,’ Israel’s top diplomat in New York resigns

(JTA) – Asaf Zamir, Israel’s consul general in New York, resigned within hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired his defense minister, the latest salvo in the political crisis that has beset Israel over Netanyahu’s planned radical changes in the judiciary.

“The past 18 months as Israel’s Consul General in New York have been fulfilling and rewarding, but after today’s developments, it is now time for me to join the fight for Israel’s future, to ensure that it is a beacon of democracy and freedom in the world stays.” Zamir said on Twitter on Sunday, where he shared a lengthy letter on consulate letterhead as well as a simple message on his personal account: “I have resigned.” followed by an Israeli flag emoji.

“Today’s dangerous decision to sack the defense minister has convinced me that I can no longer represent this government,” Zamir said in his letter. It came within two hours of Netanyahu’s sacking of Yoav Gallant, exactly a day after Gallant asked Netanyahu to pause judicial reforms for at least a month to negotiate a compromise with the opposition.

Zamir is a moderate who was appointed to the New York role, considered the top diplomatic post, by the previous centrist government. He decided to stay in the job, even when some other diplomats resigned in December, when Netanyahu took office. His job appeared to be on the wane last week after he told a public meeting he was “deeply concerned” about events in Israel and said Israel “needs to be democratic.” This earned him a call to return to Israel for an interview.

Zamir’s wife, actress Maya Wertheimer, offered her own implied criticism of the legislation during an appearance at the Tel Aviv Fashion Week kickoff gala last week. She went on a show with Ivri Lider, an Israeli singer who was wears a blue dress with the seal of the State of Israel, together with a golden crown. On his chest were the words “free in our land,” a quote from the Israeli national anthem. Wertheimer, who signaled on Instagram that her performance was semi-impromptu, carried an oversized passport as she walked the runway — along with a giant sham airline ticket showing a route from New York to Tel Aviv.

Zamir’s resignation came as crowds of protesters poured into the streets around Israel in response to Gallant’s sacking. Israel’s national unions have announced a general strike for Monday when lawmakers are due to vote on part of the judiciary reform bill.