On Sunday, Israel confirmed the appointment of former Israeli consul-general to New York Dani Dayan as the new Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate.
Previously, the appointment of this position sparked controversy when then-prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he would appoint Effi Eitam, a former right-wing politician, to the position.
"Leading Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, is more than a position; it is a mission and one I take on with awe and reverence," said Dayan.
Holocaust survivors and advocacy groups such as the Anti-Defamation League expressed concern over his appointment due to his hard-right beliefs regarding Palestinians and the West Bank.
Concerns were raised that Eitam's appointment could open the center up to criticism from anti-Israel groups and damage the memory of the Holocaust as well as Israel's image.
Dayan, 65, served as Israel's Consul General in New York from 2016 until 2020. He also served as chairman of the Yesha Council, the umbrella organization representing communities in Judea and Samaria.
He holds a bachelor's degree in economics and computer science from Bar Ilan University and a master's in finance from Tel Aviv University, and he currently lives in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank.
"As time passes, our work becomes more challenging, albeit more vital, than ever before," Dayan added. "I am determined to succeed in fulfilling our shared commitment, together with the dedicated staff of Yad Vashem."
The World Jewish Congress (WJC) lauded Dayan's appointment to chair Yad Vashem.
“At a time when Holocaust distortion and obfuscation are on the rise, and with so few survivors still among us, the mission of Yad Vashem has become more vital than ever. I have no doubt that Dani Dayan will apply his tremendous talents as well as sensitivity to this job in the same way he did during his years as consul general in New York,” WJC president Ronald S. Lauder said in a statement.
“Yad Vashem is an institution that nearly every Jew in the world regards as sacrosanct. It embodies the age-old Jewish imperative ‘Zakhor,’ and all of us feel fortunate that it has been placed under Dani’s capable leadership.
“The World Jewish Congress and its affiliate communities stand behind and beside him and look forward to working closely together in the years ahead.”