Israel named a new ambassador to Jordan on Thursday, seven months after recalling its ambassador amid a diplomatic crisis sparked by an incident in which an Israeli embassy guard killed two Jordanian citizens after being attacked with a screwdriver.
Israel's Foreign Ministry said that Amir Weissbrod, head of the ministry's Middle East bureau, would be appointed head of mission to Amman pending government approval. Weissbrod is a career diplomat who has served in both Jordan and Morocco. He also served as part of the Israeli mission to the U.N.
The embassy was closed after July's incident, and then-Israeli Ambassador Einat Schlein returned to Israel along with the guard. The guard claimed self-defense, saying one of the Jordanians attacked him with a screwdriver. He received a hero's welcome upon returning to Israel, angering the Jordanians.
The shooting triggered a crisis between the two countries, which signed a peace treaty in 1994 and cooperate on security and other issues.
Israel reopened the embassy last month, after reportedly expressing regret for the incident, and offering compensation to the victims' families.
The Jordanians also demanded that Schlein be replaced as ambassador. The Foreign Ministry said it was committed to finding Schlein an appropriate position in the future that would make good use of her skills.
