Lapid appoints former tourism minister Zamir as consul to NY
Former tourism minister and Blue and White lawmaker Asaf Zamir will be Israel’s consul-general in New York, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid announced on Tuesday.
Zamir, 40, was born in Israel but lived in the US for part of his childhood, and had US citizenship that he gave up when he became a Knesset member in 2019. Additionally, he served as deputy mayor of Tel Aviv prior to being an MK.
“After we went too long without a consul in New York, I am happy to appoint Asaf Zamir,” Lapid said. “Asaf has professional and personal abilities that will proudly and honorably represent Israel.”
Zamir thanked Lapid and said he is proud and excited to represent Israel.
“This time of new governments in the US and Israel is an opportunity and a great responsibility in fulfilling this job, which I look forward to,” Zamir stated. “Strengthening Israel’s position, bipartisan relations and ties with the Jewish communities in the US are important and complex challenges brought before the new government, and I am happy and full of motivation to try to contribute to these processes.”
The previous consul-general in New York was Dani Dayan, who returned to Israel late last year, and ran on the New Hope Party’s list in this year’s election.
Dayan congratulated Zamir on twitter, saying in
English that “the Consulate General will be in the best possible hands.”
In Hebrew, Dayan said he “could not have expected a better heir to face the challenges of the role.”