Public Diplomacy Minister Galit Distel-Atbaryan continues to make news, but not the kind she was appointed to make and after sacking a ministry executive, has come under fire for abusive behavior.
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Distel-Atbaryan, on Sunday, fired Dr. Gali Sambira, who served as the Director General of the ministry, the only woman to hold such a senior position since the current government came into power. She publicly claimed that she was dissatisfied with the performance of Sambira, whom she appointed just four months ago.
Sources now said that the minister was abusive to her staff and was in the habit of blaming them for her failures and shouting abuses at them. "It's a madhouse," they said. "The way she conducts herself there is chaotic."
Distel-Atbaryan just recently began hiring staff after receiving her ministry's budget but decided to clean house and replace some who hold senior positions in the ministry.
"For four months the professional staff has been unable to fulfill the minister's policy and vision," the ministry said in a statement. "The minister takes the mission she was entrusted with as a personal calling. The ministry is currently undergoing a deep reorganization, for the benefit of the people of Israel."
The upheaval in the ministry comes amid a number of critical controversies involving ministers in the coalition headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu including statements made by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, that the U.S. State Department branded as racist.
Ben-Gvir said last week that his and his family's right to travel safely on West Bank roads supersedes freedom of movement for Palestinians.
On Sunday, a meeting held between Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and his Libyan counterpart was leaked to the press and resulted in riots on the streets of Libya and the sacking of the foreign minister, who then fled to Turkey.