Israel bows to Brazilian pressure, appoints Dayan as consul general in New York

Israel has withdrawn its nomination of former settler leader Dani Dayan as ambassador to Brazil following the South American country’s refusal to accept Dayan’s credentials.

Dayan will instead take over as Israel’s consul general in New York, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday.

Read: Israel offended as Brazil denies settler leader as envoy

According to Dayan, his appointment to the consulate in New York should not be seen as Israel caving in to pressure from Brazil, but rather as a win for the Israeli settlement movement.

“Those that did not want us in Brasília got us in New York, the capital of the world,” he said on Israel’s Army Radio.

Netanyahu nominated Dayan as ambassador to Brazil in August. The Brazilian government failed to officially accept him as ambassador leading to a standoff between the two countries.

Read: Brazil delays approval of Israeli ambassador