Ex-Italian lawmaker appointed Israel’s envoy to Rome

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday appointed Fiamma Nirenstein, a former Italian lawmaker and journalist, as Israel’s ambassador to Italy.

Born in Florence, Nirenstein was elected to the Italian parliament in 2008 as a member of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s center-right People of Freedom party.

She served as deputy chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, was a major supporter of Israel, and headed a committee to investigate anti-Semitism. Nirenstein immigrated to Israel in 2013.

“I’m convinced that Fiamma Nirenstein will bring with her to the position lots of diplomatic and political experience, and will succeed in deepening the relationship between Israel and Italy, our close friends, and act for diplomatic, economic, cultural and security cooperation,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

“The connection between Jerusalem and Rome is over 2000 years old. I’m happy to send Fiamma Nirenstein to strengthen that connection.”

Nirenstein, author of a column in Italy’s Il Giornale and 10 books in Italian and two in English, said she was happy to accept the position.

“I assured the prime minister that I will do everything in my power to strengthen the close ties between the two states,” Nirenstein said.

The appointment of Nirenstein came a month after Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi paid a state visit to Israel, in a move indicative of increasingly close ties between Rome and Jerusalem. He told the Knesset he plans to call on the Palestinians to recognize Israel as the Jewish state.