Israel’s Public Diplomacy Minister Galit Distel Atbaryan tenders resignation amid Israel-Hamas war
Israel’s Public Diplomacy Minister Galit Distel Atbaryan
tenders resignation amid Israel-Hamas war
In the backdrop of Israel-Hamas war, Isrsel’s Public Diplomacy Minister Galit Distel Atbaryan has quit and her decision comes after the Israeli government after earlier this week, empowered the Diaspora Affairs Ministry to oversee Israel’s international public diplomacy efforts alongside the Foreign Ministry, effectively rendering her ministry obsolete and, in her words, “a waste of public money.
Taking to her X (twitter) Atbaryan expressed her frustrations, emphasising the need to prioritise the nation’s interests in the midst of this tumultuous time.
The ministry’s struggle to assert itself since its formation at the beginning of the year and for its failure in multiple attempts to appoint a director-general, promoted Israel’s Public Diplomacy Minister, Galit Distel Atbaryan, to tender her resignation, citing the stripping of her ministry’s already limited powers amidst the ongoing Gaza war.
She also stated, that “Ego aside the good of Israel comes first, certainly amid such a difficult war.
The Ministry of Public Diplomacy faced continuous criticism from reporters and observers who questioned its relevance and lack of substantive influence. The ministry, essentially consisting of the minister’s office, failed in multiple attempts to appoint a ministry director-general.
In her official statement, Atbaryan asserted that the Ministry of Information was assigned the task of strengthening national resilience. But there is already
a very talented minister for national security affairs,
Home Front Command, civil organizations that do sacred work, and to be honest – she isn’t able to find any justification for this doubling of powers.
Running a government office is an expensive matter, and the people of Israel need every shekel. And when she sees the Ministry of Information that has been emptied of the powers it was given in the first place
she can only honestly admit that every day it is operated from now on is a waste of public funds.
Atbaryan concluded her statement with an announcement of her resignation from the position of Minister of Public Diplomacy, expressing confidence in her successor, Amichai Shikli.
She thanked the Prime Minister for his trust and called on him to allocate the entire ministry’s budget to citizens in the south of the country.
Meanwhile, in her parting words, she acknowledged the dedication of her office team, who had worked tirelessly to promote Israel’s narrative around the world amid the crisis. She also expressed her sincere gratitude to them, vowing to continue serving the nation from the Knesset (Parliament).
News Edit K.V.Raman
