NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF ISRAEL PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UNOG

Aharon Leshno Yaar, the new Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented his credentials to Sergei Ordzhonikidze, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Prior to his appointment to Geneva, Mr. Leshno Yaar had been serving, since 2004, as Deputy Director General and Head of the United Nations and International Organizations Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel. From 2000 to 2004, he was acting Deputy Director General of the North American Affairs Division at the Ministry, and from 1998 to 1999, he was Director of the Division of Arab Affairs, Centre for Political Research, at the Ministry.

A career diplomat, Mr. Leshno Yaar served as Minister Counselor for Middle East Affairs at the Embassy of Israel in Washington, and member of the Israeli team to the peace negotiations with Lebanon, from 1993 to 1998. From 1991 to 1992, he was a member of the Israeli delegation to the Middle East peace negotiations in Washington. He was First Secretary at the Embassy of Israel in Canberra, Australia from 1987 to 1989, and Second Secretary at the Embassy of Israel in Singapore from 1984 to 1987. In 1983, he served as Second Secretary with the Israeli delegation to the United Nations (Special Political Committee).

Mr. Leshno Yaar graduated from Tel Aviv University in 1981 after studying Arabic Language and Literature, and History of the Middle East. He joined the Diplomatic Service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the same year.

Mr. Leshno Yaar was born in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1955. He is married with three children.