Historic first: Israel names female ambassador to Arab state

For the first time, a woman is Israel\’s new ambassador to Jordan. Einat Shlain, head of the international division at the Foreign Ministry\’s Diplomatic Research Center, has been with the Foreign Ministry for 22 years, and has been a Middle Eastern affairs adviser with the Israeli Embassy in Washington. She is expected to assume office in mid-2015, replacing current Ambassador to Jordan Daniel Nevo.
 

The Foreign Ministry also named five other female ambassadors — Aliza Ben-Nun to France; Tamar Samash to Romania; Irit Lilian to Bulgaria; Simona Frankel to Belgium, and Yael Ravia to Cyprus — as well as a female consult-general for Atlanta, Judith Varnai.
 

In addition, the Foreign Ministry also named five male ambassadors: Dan Stav to Azerbaijan; Danny Kutner to Spain; Yoni Peled to Mexico; Ilan Ben-Dov to Slovakia, and Zeev Boker to Ireland.
 

"The Foreign Ministry is spearheading a gender revolution," said Vered Swid, head of the Authority for the Advancement of the Status of Women at the Prime Minister\’s Office.
 

"The fact that women make up the majority of appointments in the current nominations round — seven out of 12 nominations — is a source of pride to Israeli women.
 

"I welcome the historic move of naming a woman as Israel\’s ambassador in Jordan. This is a breakthrough nomination that proves that the glass ceiling has been broken," she said.
 

The Foreign Ministry\’s appointments are pending government approval.