Diplomats ordered to cut costs by flying coach class

Senior Israeli diplomats are furious over a recent decision by the Foreign Ministry to downgrade staffers' flights from business to coach, Haaretz has learned. The new policy, according to the ministry, stems from the effects of the world financial crisis.

Fifteen vice directors-general, who are in charge of the ministry's various directorates, will be downgraded to economy class.

"Surely you do not think we are so stupid as to believe that a decision, which affects no more than 15 people, will have a significant effect on the Foreign Ministry's expenditure," one affected staffer wrote to Yaron Israeli, the ministry's accountant general.

In a circular written last Tuesday about business-class flights, Israeli wrote: "In light of the expected budget cut, and regarding the Foreign Ministry's operational budget for 2009 for traveling abroad, because of the financial crisis and the deficit in the ministry's travel budget, from now on the only people entitled to travel in business are the foreign minister, the vice foreign minister and the ministry's director-general. All other travels abroad will be conducted in economy class."

One source in the Foreign Ministry said he believed that the vice director-generals hotly resented the move partly because their counterparts in the Israel Defense Forces, the Mossad and other government offices still enjoyed business-class trips.

But another staffer explained that the cushy conditions were necessary for the envoys to perform their tasks effectively. According to the employee, most vice director-generals are sent on short visits of 24 to 48 hours, which are typically packed with meetings. He added that vice director-generals are sent abroad several times a month.

In his letter to Israeli, the angry vice director-general went on to write: "I have no choice but to conclude that your decision is spiteful. All it achieves is to make life harder for people, who travel abroad for short periods and are expected to perform their duties effectively when they arrive."

Another contentious issue in the ministry is connected to the escalating power struggle between diplomats and administrative workers. This time, the bone of contention is the free cellular phone perks enjoyed by administrative workers abroad but denied to diplomats.

Yesterday, the workers union, which represents diplomats, sent out a letter to the ministry's director-general, Aharon Abramowitz in which it protested the "preferential" treatment. It also addressed the fact that the expense accounts of administrative workers were double those afforded to diplomats.

"Many workers feel that the Foreign Ministry expects diplomats to fund their work out of their own pockets," the letter stated. "The continuation of this inequality is harming Israel's relations with other countries."