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Madonna. The pop star-turned-kaballah-follower is at the crux of a conflict that may cost the Israeli Ambassador to the US, his job.
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05/15
Ynetnews |
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05/15
Haaretz |
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| By israelinsider staff and partners May 15, 2005 |
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Israeli Ambassador to Washington Danny Ayalon could lose his job in a clash with Shalom over a decision to fire the ambassador's personal assistant, a dispute which Israeli media reports have linked to Shalom's wife Judy Nir Moses-Shalom and to singer-actress Madonna.
Ayalon accused Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and his wife of trying to get his assistant fired.
Why? Apparently because Judy Shalom Nir Mozes was upset that she didn't meet Madonna when the pop star-turned-kaballah-fan visited Israel.
Behind the nasty tiff is a power struggle between the Foreign Ministry and the embassy in Washington, which is felt to be beholden to Dov Weisglass, the prime minister's legal advisor.
Ayalon, whose relations with the foreign minister have long been tense, has filed a complaint to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz against Shalom and his wife, saying they had improperly interfered with the embassy's work.
Shalom is believed to be seeking to cut short Ayalon's term in office. Sharon aides have meanwhile denied reports that outgoing Jewish Agency chairman Salai Meridor may replace Ayalon.
But sources close to Ayalon say that Shalom Nir Mozes was furious that the ambassador's assistant could not arrange a meeting for her with Madonna.
According to Foreign Ministry sources, the "head of human resources in the Foreign Ministry telephoned the embassy almost two weeks ago in order to have the assistant, Liron Peterzil, fired. The embassy asked for a written request and was refused."
Ayalon viewed Peterzil as a talented and hard worker and refused to fire him. Even sources in the Foreign Ministry expressed surprise that the minister would make such a request and justify it as a cost-cutting measure.
When stymied by Ayalon, the Foreign Ministry tried to get Deputy Ambassador Rafi Barak to fire Peterzil behind Ayalon's back, but the former said that he was not authorized to do so.
Last week, the Foreign Ministry told the ambassador that he lost his budget for an assistant, and that is when Ayalon turned to the attorney-general.
According to a Foreign Ministry source: "Peterzil is a local employee working abroad since 2001. His contract ends in 2004. According to regulations, all contract renewals after three years require special permission."
Senior sources in the Foreign Ministry said the accusations made by the ambassador were "ridiculous and absurd" and meant to distract attention from a diplomatic administrative review of the embassy in Washington.
Stemming from a report in Yedioth Ahranoth, the investigation is looking into whether the ambassador's wife treated embassy workers as her personal servants. Among the accusations leveled at Ayalon's wife was that she called workers "retarded" and complained that another employee "was always pregnant."
In the meantime, sources close to Sharon expressed support for the ambassador, who has been in the position for close to three years. Ayalon is also supported by Vice Premier Shimon Peres.
"Ayalon is an excellent ambassador," a senior official in Sharon's bureau said on Saturday. "We are pleased with his work in Washington, and as far as we're concerned, he should continue."
The ambassador in Washington and its UN envoy are Israel's most prestigious diplomatic posts. The Washington envoy is usually appointed with the agreement of the prime minister and foreign minister. Ayalon is a tenured Foreign Ministry employee and his contract does not require periodic renewal.
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