New Israeli ambassador takes up Egypt post

Haim Koren took up the post of Israel’s ambassador to Egypt Sunday, replacing the former ambassador in Cairo, Yaakov Amitai.

The Israeli embassy building in Egypt was ransacked in 2011 by an Egyptian mob and the staff were evacuated from the country.

Some embassy staff returned to Cairo in 2012 and began providing services from an unofficial location.

In the unrest that followed the ouster of former Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi in July, Israel reduced the number of its diplomatic staff posted to Cairo, but has begun building up its presence in the city more recently in light of the recent calm.

Israel has yet to find a permanent location for its future embassy in Cairo.

Koren is an Arabic speaker and has served as Israel’s ambassador to South Sudan in the past. He was also the director of the Cairo embassy’s political planning division.