Israel gives up on Dayan as ambassador to Brazil

The Israeli Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee decided on Sunday to cancel the nomination of former settler leader Dani Dayan for the position of Israel’s ambassador to Brazil, Haaretz newspaper reported.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nominated Dayan in August, but Brazil has strongly refused to approve the appointment over Dayan’s involvement in the settlements.

During the committee session, Likud MK Anat Berko said that Israel must be careful that the Dayan affair does not set a precedent for other countries wishing to dictate to Israel which diplomats represent it.

Netanyahu has been trying for months to get Brazil to agree to accept Dayan’s credentials, to no avail, but has chosen not to cancel the appointment.

Meanwhile, Brazil inaugurated the first Palestinian embassy in the Western hemisphere last week.

The embassy was built on land donated by the Brazilian government and is topped with a golden dome, resembling Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Brazil recognized Palestine as a state in 2010.