Canada appoints new ambassadors to Palestinian Authority, UN

Canada appointed new representatives to the United Nations and the Palestinian Authority on Wednesday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly announced that Graham Dattels has become Canada’s representative to the Palestinian Authority, replacing the previous ambassador, David Da Silva.

Dattels comes to the role after being Global Affairs Canada’s director for Southeast Asia handling Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. He had responsibility for political and commercial relations, development assistance and co-ordination of Canada’s response to the Rohingya crisis.

Joly also announced that Michael Gort has become Canada’s ambassador and deputy permanent representative to the United Nations in New York, replacing Richard Arbeiter. His most recent diplomatic appointment was as Canada’s ambassador to Chile.

Peter MacDougall was announced as Canada’s new ambassador and permanent representative to the Office of the United Nations and to the United Nations Conference on Disarmament, in Geneva, replacing Leslie E. Norton. Most recently, MacDougall was assistant deputy minister for global issues and development at Global Affairs Canada and served as Canada’s G7 foreign affairs sous-sherpa.

Global Affairs Canada also announced the appointment of Annabelle Larouche St-Sauveur as consul general in Monterrey, Mexico, replacing Sandra Shaddick.

The new appointments come at a time when members of the international community are weighing in on arrest warrants being sought in the International Criminal Court against the leaders of Israel and Hamas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced questions on a push from the International Criminal Court to prosecute the Israeli prime minister and Hamas leaders over the conflict in Gaza