Haaretz Reports: Deputy ambassador to the United States Baruch Bina was on Wednesday appointed Israel’s man in Denmark, in a move that is expected to end the strained relations in Washington between the Israeli ambassador, Michael Oren, and Bina. The ministry hopes Bina’s transfer will improve relations in the Washington embassy, Israel’s most important and sensitive diplomatic mission.
A new deputy ambassador is due to be appointed to Washington in the next few weeks.
Oren’s contract has recently been extended by one year. If Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wins the elections, Oren is expected to complete four years in this post. As a confidant of Netanyahu’s, Oren was appointed by the prime minister in coordination with the foreign minister. He is therefore unlikely to remain in office if Netanyahu loses the elections.
Since Bina entered office as deputy ambassador in Washington at the beginning of 2012, his relations with Oren have been strained.
Bina said Oren was keeping information from him, as well as from the embassy staff and Foreign Ministry, while Oren claimed Bina was undermining him and acting against him vis-a-vis U.S. officials and other diplomats in the embassy.
The tension caused an almost complete severance between the two and Bina filed an official request to leave his post after six months.
