https://arab.news/pe6hf
- A self-described 鈥渞eligious right-winger,鈥� Hotovely rejects Palestinian claims to any of the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem
- Over 1,200 British Jews have signed a petition calling on the British government to reject her appointment as ambassador
LONDON: The appointment of a hard-line supporter of the annexation of Palestinian land as the next Israeli ambassador to the UK has drawn criticism from experts and the wider British Jewish community.
Tzipi Hotovely, Israel鈥檚 settlements minister and outspoken proponent of annexation, has been named by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the next ambassador to the UK, succeeding Mark Regev.
A self-described 鈥渞eligious right-winger,鈥� Hotovely rejects Palestinian claims to any of the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem.
Yossi Mekelberg, professor of international relations at Regent鈥檚 University London, told Arab News that her appointment is not only unpalatable, but it may not even be in Israel鈥檚 best interest.
鈥淪he wasn鈥檛 selected for her great diplomatic skills. She has a political background and has never served abroad in the diplomatic service,鈥� he said.
A fiercely ambitious person, Hotovely鈥檚 aspirations in domestic politics, Mekelberg explains, could be a source of tension in her new position.
鈥淗otovely will have to play the diplomatic game, not the political one. Can she represent the state of Israel, not the Likud party?鈥�
The religious hard-liner鈥檚 position on annexation, which extends beyond even the official Israeli position, is also likely to be a major obstacle in fulfilling her new role, particularly as she engages with British Jews.
鈥淢y doubt is whether she can reach out to the Jewish community,鈥� Mekelberg said. 鈥淭heir concern may be that instead of the representative of Israel, Hotovely will be the representative of the settlements.鈥�
This apprehension is already being felt among portions of the British Jewish community.
Over 1,200 British Jews have signed a petition by anti-occupation group Na鈥檃mod, calling on the British government to reject her appointment as ambassador and denouncing Hotovely鈥檚 鈥渁ppalling record of racist and inflammatory behavior.鈥�
A spokesperson for Na鈥檃mod said: 鈥淭here is clearly growing unrest in our community about Israel鈥檚 blatant disregard for human rights, and people increasingly realize that it is time to take a stand.鈥�
Laura Janner-Klausner, the senior rabbi to Reform Judaism, has also criticized the rightwing politician鈥檚 record. 鈥淗er political views on Palestinians, annexation and religious pluralism clash with our core values,鈥� she said.
Hotovely鈥檚 appointment comes as Netanyahu鈥檚 coalition government prepares to annex almost a third of the West Bank in a move that has drawn sharp criticism for breaching international law.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has 鈥渟trongly objected鈥� to the plan, while human rights experts from the UN have likened the Israeli plan to 鈥�21st-century apartheid鈥� and warned that human rights violations against Palestinians 鈥渨ould only intensify after annexation.鈥�