Eitan Na’eh, senior Israel ambassador and representative to CMCC, dies unexpectedly

By Lazar Berman

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19 January 2026, 12:36 pm

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Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

Eitan Na'eh, Israel's first ambassador to the UAE, after arriving there on January 24, 2021. (Foreign Ministry, courtesy)

Eitan Na’eh, a seasoned Israeli diplomat who had served as Israel’s envoy to Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Bahrain, passes away unexpectedly.

Na’eh, 62, was also Israel’s first diplomat to take up office in the United Arab Emirates following its normalization deal with Israel, serving as chargé d’affairs of the Israeli Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

“Beyond his exceptional diplomatic skills and his unique ability to build bridges and strengthen ties in every country in which he served, Eitan stood out for his deep dedication to the work of the foreign service and his unwavering commitment to the State of Israel,” says the Foreign Ministry in a statement.

“Eitan was a true team player in the fullest sense of the term—a man with a generous heart, who opened both his door and his heart to everyone, in every role he held, and to all who had the privilege of working with him. Eitan will be deeply missed by the Foreign Ministry family and by the State of Israel as a whole,” the ministry says.

He was serving as the Foreign Ministry’s representative to the Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat.

“Eitan was a gifted diplomat who excelled in forging connections and relationships wherever he served,” writes Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. “Above all, in all his missions and in the many positions he held, Eitan was known for his generous heart and boundless compassion.”

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, who appointed Naeh as Israel’s first ambassador to Manama, writes on X that he “served Israel with devotion for over 35 years.”

From 2016-2018, Na’eh served as Israel’s envoy to Turkey, until he was expelled by Ankara in protest of the deaths of dozens of Palestinians during violent clashes with Israeli forces on the border with the Gaza Strip. Na’eh, who was ordered to leave Turkey temporarily, underwent a strict security screening at Istanbul’s airport that required him to take off his shoes. Turkish press was invited to film the spectacle, prompting Israel to respond in kind.