Israel’s Ambassador to Norway to Resign Over Sexual Harrassment Allegations
Israel’s ambassador to Norway has been recalled by the foreign ministry (see Yediot article displayed below). Local Norwegian staff at the embassy and the ambassador’s household staff each accused him of exposing himself and other acts of harassment, an allegation he denies. Israeli media cannot report the name or country in which this diplomat served. But I can [Richard Silverstein]. He is Naim Araidi (Hebrew) an Israeli Druze poet and lecturer in literature at several Israeli colleges. Though he had no previous diplomatic or political experience, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman chose him because, as a Druze he came from Israel’s Arab minority, yet endorsed the strong nationalist views of the Israeli Jewish far-right. Israeli Druze pride themselves on being distinct from the Palestinian minority and even from the majority Muslim culture among Israeli Muslims. They serve willingly in the IDF and use such service as an entré into majority Jewish society. Lieberman spoke publicly at the time of Araidi’s appointment about the reasons for it, noting he was sent to Norway because of its strong BDS “delegitimization” movement. The foreign minister felt that an Israeli minority would make an especially strong case against this tendency, since Norwegians have generally been quite supportive of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and other movements for ethnic justice.
Stavanger Aftenblad: Israels ambassadør hjemkalt