Netanyahu thought likely to veto Lieberman choices for top posts

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering rescinding the appointments of Alon Pinkas as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations and Shai Bazak as consul general in New York.

Officials in the Prime Minister's Bureau said Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman did not consult with Netanyahu before making the appointments and that the prime minister would like to consider other candidates for the posts.

The move is likely to cause a rift between Netanyahu and Lieberman, since the rescinding of even one appointment signals that the prime minister is overruling his foreign minister.

Sources close to Netanyahu said he has a good relationship with Lieberman, but said the foreign minister acted inappropriately by failing to consult with Netanyahu.

"The prime minister heard about these appointments from the media, despite the fact that it's accepted for the prime minister to have a say in such positions," one official in the Prime Minister's Bureau said.

The appointments were approved by the Civil Service Commission on Thursday, and were due to receive cabinet approval Sunday. However, Netanyahu has ordered the appointments to be removed from the agenda for Sunday's cabinet meeting.

"The foreign minister made these two appointments unilaterally," the bureau official said. "Now the prime minister wants to bring in additional candidates and discuss the matter with the foreign minister. [Pinkas and Bazak] are not inappropriate, but there may be other candidates the prime minister wants who are no less suitable for these positions."

Pinkas previously served as bureau chief of staff for foreign minister David Levy and consul general in New York.

He was held in high esteem while serving in the Foreign Ministry, but has also made enemies in the Jewish community in New York.

Pinkas has advised Netanyahu on ties with the United States and he participated in a meeting with Hillary Clinton during her first visit to Israel in her capacity as U.S. secretary of state.

Bazak was Netanyahu's media consultant during his first term as prime minister and later served as the Israeli consul in Miami.

	Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman did not consult with the PM on new diplomatic appointments.
	Photo by: (AP / Archive)