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The top Israeli diplomat in New York announced his resignation on Sunday, becoming the latest high-profile figure to denounce Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s highly contested overhaul of the country’s judicial system.
Asaf Zamir, the consul general to Israel in New York, said he was leaving the post over his “moral obligation to stand up for what is right and to stand up for the democratic values that I hold dear.”
He cited Netanyahu’s dismissal on Sunday of his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, who broke ranks with his right-wing Likud party to denounce the judicial overhaul.
“Today’s dangerous decision to fire the Minister of Defense convinced me that I can no longer continue representing this government,” Zamir wrote in the resignation letter.
Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in Israel over Netanyahu’s proposal to weaken the country’s Supreme Court – a move seen by many as a direct threat to Israel’s democracy.
Smaller demonstrations have also popped up in New York City. At a rally in Washington Square Park on Sunday, protesters waved the flag of Israel while holding signs promoting democracy and labeling Netanyahu a dictator.
Zamir, who was appointed in 2021 by Netanyahu’s short-lived predecessor, Naftali Bennett, said his decision to leave “should not be seen as a rejection of Israel or its people.”
“On the contrary, I am taking this step because of my deep love for my country,” he wrote. “As a proud Israeli citizen, I believe it is my duty to ensure that Israel remains a beacon of democracy and freedom in the world.”
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