Italy signals unease with Israel’s pick of settler leader as next ambassador
Rome has sent informal messages to Jerusalem over tapping of Benny Kashriel, a longtime mayor of Ma’ale Adumim settlement and a former Yesha Council chief

The Italian government has indicated to Israel that it is uncomfortable with Jerusalem’s choice for its next ambassador to Rome because of his close ties to the settlement movement.
Benny Kashriel, the long-time mayor of the large West Bank settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, was chosen by Foreign Minister Eli Cohen to be Israel’s next ambassador to Rome in July, but the Italians have still not approved the appointment.
The Italians have in the past few weeks sent informal messages to Jerusalem about their concerns over Kashriel’s appointment, although there has been no definitive decision yet.
The issue was first reported by the Ynet news site, and confirmed by The Times of Israel.
Kashriel has served as mayor of Ma’ale Adumim, one of the largest West Bank settlements, for the last 31 years and was also the head of the Yesha Council, an umbrella body for the settlement movement, from 1999 to 2001.
According to Ynet, President Isaac Herzog has been asked by the Foreign Ministry to discreetly intervene over the issue, after Rome expressed concern that the appointment could undermine the country’s relations with the European Union.
Italy is currently ruled by a right-wing, pro-Israel government headed by Georgia Meloni.

Even though Kashriel is only due to begin his term in the summer, Ynet quoted an unnamed senior Foreign Ministry source as saying that “the problem is not simple.”
One complicating factor could be Cohen’s imminently expected departure as foreign minister. According to coalition agreements, Israel Katz, who is currently energy minister, is set to replace Cohen at the end of this month.
The Foreign Ministry told Ynet that it had not yet made an official request to Rome for approval of a new ambassador, but expected to do so in early 2024.
In 2015, Brazil refused to approve the appointment of former Yesha Council head Dani Dayan as ambassador, and he was instead appointed consul general in New York.