Israel’s Defense Attach\u00e9 to Canada is returning to Israel and will not be replaced, the Defense Ministry told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.<\/p>\n
The Defense Ministry<\/a> said Col. Ilan Or\u2019s withdrawal from the Ottawa Embassy is part of a global realignment of Israel\u2019s Defense Attache network.\u00a0 A defense attach\u00e9 is a high-ranking army officer who serves as a defense and security representative at a country’s diplomatic mission abroad. They act as the primary military adviser to the ambassador and as a liaison between the IDF and Canada’s defense body (in this case).<\/p>\n The Defense Ministry said that, taking into account existing resources, it has been decided that the position of the Defense Attach\u00e9 to Canada will continue to be carried out through a cross-accredited defense attach\u00e9 based in Washington, DC.<\/a><\/p>\n “This arrangement ensures full continuity of engagement while leveraging the capabilities of our robust Defense Attach\u00e9 Office in Washington,” the ministry told the Post.<\/p>\n It added that similar cross-accreditation arrangements are widely used, particularly dual accreditations covering both the US<\/a> and Canada.<\/p>\n This marks the first time in 14 years that Canada will be without a defense attach\u00e9. The Post understands that it comes at a time of particularly strained relations between Israel and Canada.<\/p>\n