Ronen Hoffman appointed ambassador to Canada

Former Yesh Atid MK Ronen Hoffman will be Israel’s next ambassador to Canada, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid announced Monday.

Hoffman, 58, was an MK from 2013 to 2015 and was chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Public Diplomacy Subcommittee. He coordinated peace negotiations between Israel and Syria under former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Hoffman has a PhD in war studies from Kings College London, is a lecturer on diplomacy and foreign policy at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya and is a co-founder of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism at the IDC.

“Canada is one of Israel’s closest friends – a friendship that comes from shared liberal and democratic values,” Lapid’s spokesman said. “Israel and Canada cooperate in fighting antisemitism; on scientific research, including fighting coronavirus; economically and in international organizations, and more.”

Hoffman thanked Lapid and said: “Canada is a large and important country, and our good, close ties with it are a strategic asset to Israel’s national security... I will fulfill this important mission with a deep sense of commitment and responsibility.”

The government has yet to appoint a new ambassador to the US. Ambassador Gilad Erdan has resigned from the position, which is usually given to someone close to the prime minister, but will remain ambassador to the UN.

Israel is “in good hands” with Erdan, and the government will replace him soon, Lapid said Monday in Yesh Atid’s faction meeting.