JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has nominated a cabinet minister known for her incendiary comments and for leading a campaign against African immigrants to the post of consul general in New York, a high-profile position that is in charge of strengthening ties with American Jews.
May Golan built her political career on staunch opposition to African immigrants in Israel. She calls them “infiltrators” and has labeled the roughly 40,000 migrants, mostly concentrated in poor neighborhoods in the southern part of the Tel Aviv city, as security threats.
After a failed attempt to enter parliament with the ultranationalist Jewish Power party in 2013, she joined Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party and was first elected to parliament in 2019.
Netanyahu recently promised Golan the position of Minister for the Status of Women, which has yet to be created. Her office confirmed media reports Wednesday that he offered her the post of consul general, citing “his excellent explanatory skills for her in English.”
In a post on Twitter, Golan said she was honored to be considered for the position and that she is “completely committed to the unity of the Jewish people.”
“If appointed, I will work with the leaders of all Jewish organizations, as part of the effort to strengthen the great partnership between Israel and American Jewish communities,” she said.
Israel’s former consul general, Assaf Zamir, resigned last month in protest of the Netanyahu government’s controversial judicial reform plan.
The United States is home to the largest Jewish community outside of Israel, with the largest community living in the New York metropolitan area.
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