Illustration (AP)
צילום: AP
Foreign Ministry employees support suspended colleague
Deputy Ambassador to Washington Dan Arbel's dramatic suspension over leak allegations leads employee committee to write letter of support. Meanwhile, senior diplomats criticize ministry's 'extreme' move
The Foreign Ministry's employee committee has written a letter of support to its employees in Israel and abroad following Wednesday's announcement of the immediate suspension of Dan Arbel, the deputy ambassador to Washington DC.
Arbel was suspended for allegedly leaking sensitive information to the media in 2009.
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"We the members of the employee committee, in the name of all the Foreign Ministry employees in Israel and abroad would like to send Dan Arbel a message of solidarity, encouragement and support in his hour of need," they wrote.
"We are not well versed in the details of the affair but we know our friend Dan Arbel, his professionalism, the sense of mission that accompanies him in all his positions and the devotion with which he fulfills each role he has been given."
Arbel who is considered to be one of Jerusalem's most valued diplomats, received their complete support, with the committee mentioning his many accomplishments.
"Dan currently holds one of the most senior and important positions in the Foreign Service and does so with complete success. He was chosen for the position because of his capabilities and his proven performance record.
"It is important that Dan's impressive career of over 20 years in the service of the State of Israel will stand in his favor at this time and serve as a factor that tips the scales over the suspicions against him."
The committee noted that the details of the affair remained unclear. "Even if Dan had a slip of the tongue or acted with impaired judgment, issues that still need to be cleared up, we are convinced that he did not do so out of illegitimate motives.
"We spoke to Dan Arbel yesterday, passed on our message and offered the committee's assistance in any way we might be able to help him.
Extreme move?
"We are convinced that Dan will continue to contribute to the best of his abilities to the Foreign Ministry and the State of Israel for years to come," the letter read.
The dramatic news of the diplomat's suspension made waves throughout the ministry. Many diplomats, including senior members, told Ynet that this was an extreme move and wondered whether Arbel had become a scapegoat for the Foreign Ministry directorate.
Arbel is currently in Washington and is expected to remain there pending the conclusion of the Foreign Ministry's investigation into the matter. He admitted to speaking with a reporter but said that he did not leak anything.
New information derived by Foreign Ministry officials has led to the inquiry against Arbel.
Senior ministry officials criticized the swift manner in which the diplomat's fate was decided, with the investigation into the details of the affair still ongoing.
They mentioned a similar situation also connected to the affair - the same case prompted the 2009 suspension of Alon Bar, then the Ministry's deputy director general. Bar was later cleared and now serves as Israel's ambassador to Spain.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry's senior appointments committee headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon approved the appointments of 10 new Israeli ambassador positions throughout the globe.
The new nominees are headed to Geneva, Buenos Aires, Hanoi, Stockholm, Tbilisi and the Vatican.
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