From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Bismuth denies being considered as next consul-general to New York
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth denies reports that he is being considered as a replacement for Israeli consul-general in New York, Ofir Akunis, insisting that reporting to the contrary is “nothing but baseless rumors and complete fake news.”
“There are political figures who would be delighted to see me out of the race in the upcoming primaries, due to the broad support I enjoy among the public,” the Likud lawmaker posts on X, insisting that he still has to pass a package of military service and conscription laws and intends “to continue focusing on my work for the public.”
Multiple Hebrew media outlets have reported that those close to Netanyahu have been considering Bismuth as a replacement for Akunis — who will reportedly be tapped as the next head of Keren Hayesod — as a reward for shepherding the law largely exempting the ultra-Orthodox from military service through the legislature.
The Times of Israel Community.