US diplomats hail Tel Aviv as 'Miami of Middle East'

"TA is the single best combination of high-profile policy issues and high quality of life," embassy employees says in State Department magazine.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Tel Aviv beachfront 521 (photo credit: Israel Weiss)
Tel Aviv beachfront 521
(photo credit: Israel Weiss)
Tel Aviv is apparently one of the most sought after posts for US diplomats serving abroad, as the city received glowing reviews as the "Miami of the Middle East" in a cover story for  State Magazine, a weekly periodical for US State Department employees.
Vice consul at the US Embassy in Tel Aviv, Jennifer McAndrew penned the piece, contending that, while work in the embassy and six annexes presents a great challenge, "no one complains about the panoramic ocean views or the proximity to dozens of cafes serving delicious Mediterranean fare of hummus, olives and tahina."
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McAndrew explains that despite Tel Aviv being only a 45-minute drive from Jerusalem, its modernity makes it as different as can be from the ancient holy city.
"Many employees take advantage of Israel’s temperate climate and bike to work. Their picturesque route begins in the northern suburb of Herzliya where many embassy families live, winds southward along the coast and ends at the oceanfront chancery in the heart of Tel Aviv," McAndrew writes.
The city is also hailed by US diplomats as being a high profile post diplomatically, according to the article.
Deputy Chief of Mission Tom Goldberger is quoted as saying that water rights, refugee issues and efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations put the Tel Aviv embassy at the forefront of US engagement in the Middle East.
"Tel Aviv is the single best combination of high-profile policy issues and high quality of life — there really is no better combination in the Foreign Service,” Goldberger states.
The article also lauds the "extremely collaborative" relationship between the US and Israel as another plus in serving in Tel Aviv.