Foreign minister reportedly issued diplomatic passports to fellow Likud members against counsel of professional staff

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen reportedly ordered diplomatic passports to be issued to prominent members of his Likud party, acting against the advice of counsel from professional staff in his office.

A panel adjudicating Cohen’s requests for the diplomatic passports ruled against issuing them but Foreign Ministry director-general Ronen Levi overruled the committee, informing members that he was doing so on specific instructions from Cohen, Haaretz reports.

Diplomatic passports are supposed to be used by very high-ranking government officials to travel abroad with more ease.

Among the Likud members who received a diplomatic passport was Binyamin Regional Council chairman Yisrael Gantz — a prominent settler leader. Gantz also serves as head of the foreign affairs desk for the Yesha umbrella council of settler mayors.

Other Likud members who received diplomatic passports were Dimona mayor Benny Biton, Sdot Negev Regional Council chairman Tamir Idan and Merhavim Regional Council chairman Shay Hajaj.

Responding to the report, Cohen’s office tells Haaretz, “the foreign minister doesn’t order the issuance of passports. Requests that are submitted are considered and approved in accordance with the ministry’s regulations.”