Sa’ar appoints Eden Bar Tal as Foreign Ministry director general

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar appoints Eden Bar Tal as the ministry’s director general.

Bar Tal previously served as director general of the Communications Ministry under Moshe Kahlon, and as director general of the Regional Cooperation Ministry under Ofir Akunis, both Likudniks.

Eden Bar Tal, then-Communications Ministry director general, Oct 12, 2009. (Kobi Gideon / FLASH90)

He is trained as a lawyer, and founded a medical cannabis startup. For the past two years, Bar Tal served as director general of the Second Authority for Television and Radio.

“I have no doubt that Mr. Bar Tal, endowed with rich professional knowledge and diverse skills, with experience in both the public and private sectors, including his experience as director general of the Communications Ministry, is the right candidate to lead the Foreign Ministry in the face of the tremendous challenges ahead,” says Sa’ar in a statement.

Current Director-General Jacob Blitshtein was brought into the ministry with Israel Katz — who this week moved from the Foreign Ministry to Defense — at the beginning of the year, and will leave once Bar Tal takes his post.

Bar Tal has to be confirmed by the Knesset.