New Israeli ambassador presents credentials to Sakellaropoulou

Israel’s new ambassador to Greece, Noam Katz, presented his credentials to President Katerina Sakellaropoulou during a ceremony at the Presidential Mansion on Monday. 

A career diplomat since 1994, Katz succeeds Yossi Amrani, who served since 2019. His stated objective is to build partnerships and coalitions for Israel with the Greek people and government. 

“He plans to focus on strengthening relations in the areas of politics, innovation and technology, trade and business, tourism, agriculture, environment, religion and culture. He looks forward to working together with Israel’s Greek partners on issues related to security, regional stability and energy,” a statement from the embassy said.

Prior to coming to Athens for seven years, Katz served as the Senior Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem. He headed the Public Diplomacy Directorate and was responsible for Israel’s public diplomacy throughout the world tasked with developing communication and messaging strategies for 108 diplomatic missions.

The new ambassador has previously served as the Minister of Public Diplomacy at the Embassy of Israel in Washington DC (2009-2014), Director of Public Affairs of the MFA in Jerusalem (2007-2009), Israel’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ghana and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) (2002-2007), Deputy Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2000) and Spokesman of Israel’s Embassy in Rome (1998-2000). Before that, he was posted in the Departments of Eastern Europe and Central and West Africa of the Israeli Foreign Ministry and at the Embassy of Israel, in Lagos, Nigeria.   

Katz holds a BA in history and an MA in Public Policy and Management from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is a 2017 graduate of the Wexner Senior Leadership Program at Harvard University. An infantry commander in the IDF he rose to the rank of major during his reserve duty and received a special citation for his military service. He taught high school history and civics in Kibbutz Cabri where he lived for several years before joining the diplomatic corps.

Katz was born in Jerusalem in 1964. He is married to Einat and is the father of three children.