Diplomat of Jewish origin appointed as new French ambassador to Israel

Eric Danon will take office on August 22, according to the 'Tribune Juive.'

JULY 9, 2019 12:26

General view of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France (photo credit: CHARLES PLATIAU / REUTERS) — General view of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France

(photo credit: CHARLES PLATIAU / REUTERS)

President Emmanuel Macron appointed a diplomat of Jewish origin as the next French ambassador to Israel, the French Jewish paper Tribune Juive reported on July 1.

“Yes, it is official, I will take office on August 22,” Eric Danon told the newspaper.

Tribune Juive called Macron’s decision a breach of protocols.

It also suggested that the choice might be an attempt to make up for an incident that occurred last April, when former French ambassador to the United States and to Israel Gérard Araud called Israel an apartheid state during an interview with The Atlantic. He later retracted his statements.

Échanges amicaux et fructueux ce matin avec Éric Danon, le prochain Ambassadeur de #France en #Israël Je lui souhaite bonne chance, בהצלחה ! pic.twitter.com/tyhcaLM4TY
— Aliza Bin Noun (@AlizaBinNoun) July 2, 2019

Danon currently serves as deputy director-general for Political and Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is an expert in international security issues, according to his biography published in the geopolitical magazine Diploweb.

He will replace current ambassador to Tel Aviv Hélène Le Gal, who has been serving in the post since 2016.

Israel ambassador to Paris Aliza Bin Noun has already met with Danon and congratulated him over his appointment, as she wrote on Twitter on July 2.