Politics rule race to replace JA chair

Uzi Dayan and Menachem Ben-Sasson are the leading candidates for the chairmanship of the Jewish Agency for Israel, insiders revealed this week. Even before outgoing chairman Zeev Bielski was sworn in as a member of Knesset this Tuesday, many possible successors were discussed, yet people familiar with the matter suggest that Dayan, who joined Likud last year, and Kadima politician Ben-Sasson are most likely to get the nod because both are backed by their respective parties but failed to be elected to the Knesset during the recent election.

Maj.-Gen. (res.) Dayan is a former IDF deputy chief of staff and founder of the Sderot Conference for Society. Outgoing MK Ben-Sasson is a history professor at Hebrew University, where he used to serve as rector and is currently running for president. Both told Haaretz that it is too early to talk about a possible candidacy for JAFI's top job.

JAFI's chairman is usually appointed upon the prime minister's recommendation, and analysts assume the issue will play a role in coalition talks between Kadima and Likud. It is doubtful a chair will be appointed before the Zionist General Council in June, because no government coalition is in place yet. Sources familiar with the situation believe Avi Pazner, a former ambassador and current chairman of Keren Hayesod, will be tapped as interim chair.

Kadima MK Bielski, a former Ra'anana mayor and JAFI emissary to South Africa, formally bid farewell with a gala event Sunday night. Some attendees, like New Jersey-born former basketball star Tal Brody, said it would be hard to say who would succeed him, but others were more forthcoming about their preferences, eliciting credentials of not specific names.

Other names being bandied about this week include Zalman Shoval, a former MK and two-time ambassador to the U.S., Dan Gillerman, the former Israeli ambassador the United Nations, who does not belong to any political party; outgoing MKs Rabbi Michael Melchior and Colette Avital, Ofra Strauss (chairwoman of Strauss-Elite) and South African-born Avraham Infeld, who most recently headed the Chais Family Foundation.

However, a source familiar with the matter explained that because the election of JAFI's chairman relies on the government's recommendation, in practice candidates outside the party system have no chance. He said it's a different ballgame with Dayan and Ben-Sasson.

"Benjamin Netanyahu owes Dayan," the source said, because Dayan, a nephew of the legendary Moshe Dayan, helped the Likud leader "make the party look less extreme, less right-wing." The source added that Dayan's fluent English and knowledge of American society make him a likely candidate. Dayan commented, "This is not the right time to talk about positions and jobs."

Kadima's Ben-Sasson told Anglo File he is honored but surprised to hear that his name is being mentioned in reference to the chairmanship. According to the source, Ben-Sasson, who speaks five languages, is allegedly Kadima's top person for the job because he was not reelected to the 18th Knesset and is the only one within the party's ranks who fits the bill.