Any student who has ever applied to the cadets course for the foreign service is made immediately aware of the difficult realities of service. Ask around a poli-sci or international relations faculty in the university, it's pretty well known. This isn't a corporate job, you are being paid an Israeli wage abroad. Even when the cost of living is far greater in NYC or Moscow, the government can't meet the demands of every employee of the State abroad. Day one introduction in applying for the foreign service cadet course "You will be paid minimum wage."

Not sure I believe all this - it doesn't seem plausible as the Foreign Ministry pays "eshel" (travel + board etc) to staff working on its business and it's not skimpy. When working in more expensive countries the staff receive higher allowances. Maybe there are other, more personal reasons why these guys are throwing in the towel.

But if you pay peanuts you only get monkeys

Poor conditions? 4.5 day weeks (Fri afternoon + Sat + Sun) Expenses paid accommodation. Rent accrued from apartment in Israel. No income tax. Etc, etc............. Ma ra lahem?

That includes the govt. paying for diplomats' apartments, food, schooling for children- Jewish schooling in a local Jewish day school, etc. In addition to this they should get a good working salary. We need the best of the best representing us and we need to ensure that they can live and function. The present method also opens them up to bribery and spying if they are desperate.

how israelis in general are treated from the lowest sectors of society up to the non existant middlclass...israel supposedly one of the most powerful countries is a bum amoung the nations...lik the millionare who hides his money under the mattress and dresses like a homeless just so he can keep begging for money...quite pathetic

husband is a retired diplomat. the salaries were always LOUSY. a disgrace to the country. look at the salaries of the Ministry of Defence and the Mossad abroad..........?????? why did we not./do they get the same????????

For once I am in agreement with someone who works for the government. Cities like Washington and New York are crap cities where living expenses are very high. This is not a idle complaint and when thinking in terms of salaries, location is important because there is local inflation to consider.

and the MOSSAD agents, and the government will have enough money to pay their diplomats.

CRY ME A RIVER! While this is a great article it neglects to mention some crucial details- AND I KNOW BECAUSE I WORKED THERE! 1. Diplomats rent is paid for. So all money received is paid. Most diplomats in NY live in fancy Upper East Side apts. 2. The wives that work at the mission received a pity job! They should be thankful. They take these jobs so they get 36 sick days, 17 vacation days, every Jewish and American holiday off. Additonally if they dont like they are GIVEN a work visa to to get a REAL job at any company they like, 3. There is a partial payment for private school. To send your kid to a school at charges $1300 a month ($15,600 per year) makes it one of the most expensive school in NY. If you want a cheaper private school move to Westchester or NJ. Or better yet send your kid to public school for free!!!! Then you'll have $80,000+ play money. Get Real!!!

Looks like this job suits single people better, since they have much fewer expenses than families. If they guarentee me an entry into that Foreign Ministry graduates course, I'm up for this job, without bitching about the salary. I'm definitely qualified enough.

B"H - Also, if we take into consideration that the foreign ministry is the hasbara arm of the government, it can be assumed it didn't do a very good job of it, did it? One. Two, Israel meant to dwell alone, so the less we do with the nations, the better it is. Be it for choice or lack of funding.

could have helped many Israeli diplomats.

i have personally seen how generous the government can be with these kinds of programs so i do not beleive this garbage for one minute!!!

I see tons of Israeli students in the top US universities studying foreign relations etc. Why doesn't the government hire them and reduce the load on the tax payers of Israel?

they are overpaid....

members are paid so little in the US military that many are on food stamps and depend on Chapel food lockers to make it to the next payday even with housing provided for them by the military for many families. A US Navy physician dermatologist years ago told me he left the State Department and went to the Armed Forces Medical School because he did not have the personal wealth necessary to be a diplomat for the US! Most diplomats were offspring of wealthy families who could supplement their careers with extra income! Must be the same in Israel for the diplomats to be leaving the service of Israel, at least those who are not from wealthy families are leaving it appears. The way Barak Obama managed the expense of being a US Senator and having a home and family in Chicago to support, too, was he lived like a spartan in an efficiency tiny apartment in Washington, D. C. His wife made over $300,000. a year as an executive at a university I read, but even that could not cover the expenses of a US Senator with two homes and so many other obligations to the public.

amazing how nothing never changes afterall... these good for nothing"diplopotzim" always compalin about how low thier salay is , always shnorers from their parents and always blame the stae ,the foreign ministry and anyone in between for their economical shortcomings...... and without an glimpse of busha! and this is why the .f.m is in such a terrible state- attracting and hiring the drekes of the earth!

their results are not that good--maybe fewer but better paid will work--offer incentives for re-enlistment of effective ones

Just give me residency status and bring me to Eretz Israel and I will serve because I love Israel.

I'll be glad to take a posting in the USA, how do I apply?

One of the many reasons we have not made Aliyah (and wanted/want to Soo Badly) is the States treatment of it's own people. Kids stealing food to survive, insane taxes, govt springing nonsense on it's citizens, making life harder, no control over real estate prices (take a lesson from the US: property value is a giant smoke screen for stealing), govt corruption, etc. It's all epitomized in this article where govt workers are forced to fend for themselves. What a telling story. The headline easily could have read: "Israeli Govt Tells it's Workers Theyre Not Worth much". This article pushed Aliyah so far back in my mind, I would never expose my children to a government that is so heartless and irresponsible. My kids might wind up stealing food to survive...NO exaggeration. Shame on the Israeli Govt. Shame.

I'm glad you brought up the fact that most of these diplomats live on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, so there's no need for their children to go to private schools. In fact, this area is referred to as the "Silk Stocking District" as far as the public schools are concerned, and they rival any of the expensive private schools in the city.

Re-read the article. It says "they work around the clock"

are a bunch of winers & losers who couldn't find their way home with a gps!

You forgot to mention half day Fridays! My husband used to work at the Mission in NY and yes we too lived on the UES, our children went to private Jewish school, and he was home every Friday no later then 3pm. As for "working around the clock" NEVER happens. Not at the Mission to the UN, the Consulate or the MoD Mission to NY (Which by the way is the only Military Mission left in the US by any country in the world because all their work can be done via email or telephone yet we employee 250, twenty year olds with good family connections that wanted to see the world). That building is a ghost ship after 5pm unless someone stayed late to call a friend from Israel (for free from the office phone) or was in the middle of an intense Facebook chat. Lastly- who ever they "interviewed" in DC that claimed to take the Metro to meet Obama LIED! Unless they interviewed Ambassador Oren there is NO ONE ELSE in that entire embassy meeting Obama- and trust me Oren has a driver and security; as does Ehud Barak who flies Business to play around in DC/ NY every month. I WELCOME THESE VACANCIES IN THE US BECAUSE IT WAS OUR FAVORITE POSTINGS AND WE ARE DYING TO GO BACK!

The US has a problem now where public salaries are out of control and pensioners are getting over $100,000 a year after they stop working in certain states. Is that kind of reckless spending what we want to see from Israel? So you have to take the Metro? Big deal. I've taken the Metro. It's clean and efficient. It's not so cheap anymore, but if you only need it occasionally it's much cheaper than owning a car. I wish - WISH - that Obama would take the Metro like the rest of American plebeians. What does this Israeli diplomat want - a stretch limo with Secret Service escort?! $4,800/month doesn't just sound like a lot, it is a lot. The median salary in the US is under $40,000.a year. There are plenty of working people in urban areas - bus drivers etc. - that must work on far less and yet they do just fine. These diplomats are being paid above-average salaries even by US standards. There is one exception - the FM should pay for private school education in the US for a Jewish school. Those are expensive ($15,000+ per year) but asking a diplomat to give up a Jewish education for his children when he goes abroad is unacceptable. It's not that crazy of an expense, either. Israel has to pay for every child in its school systems. Sure, a private school abroad will cost more than a State school, but there is some money to help with it.

1. Most of them ignore the fact that the dispute is over wages in Israel. 2. Not everybody works in NYC, although it seems that Israeli public opinion tends to ignore every country but the US.

after 35 years of running around the world with my husband - i have now retired and I have a pension of 1200 shekels per month. it really is disgusting.