Israel to appoint new envoy to Jordan in bid to heal ties

JERUSALEM – Israel plans to appoint a new ambassador to Jordan in a bid to calm Amman's anger over the current envoy's handling of a shooting by an embassy guard in July that has strained relations, an Israeli diplomatic source said on Wednesday.

But Israel has shown no sign of meeting Jordan's demand that it launch criminal proceedings against the guard, who killed two Jordanians in what he called self-defense. He was repatriated along with Ambassador Einat Schlein a day after the incident.

Jordanian authorities say they suspect the shooting was unprovoked but could not investigate the guard due to his diplomatic immunity. A televised welcome he and Schlein received from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outraged Amman.

Since Schlein's departure on July 24 the embassy has been shuttered, casting a pall over Israel's ties with Jordan, a US-backed regional security partner and one of only two Arab countries that recognize Israel.