Wilhelm Haas, a 54-year-old career diplomat, has been named to replace Nils Hansen as West Germany’s Ambassador to Israel in a reshuffling of foreign service appointments that is a direct consequence of the latest espionage scandal here.
Hansen, who has served in Israel less than four years, has been nominated to represent the Federal Republic at North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) headquarters in Brussels. The vacancy came about when Chancellor Helmut Kohl decided to remove Heribert Hellen-broich from his post as head of the intelligence service.
He will be replaced by Hans-Georg Wieck, Bonn’s present representative to NATO who is to be succeeded in Brussels by Hansen. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said Hansen will remain in Tel Aviv until after West German President Richard von Weizaecker’s official visit to Israel next month.
Hansen is one of the most popular diplomats in Israel where, during his relatively brief tenure, he learned Hebrew with sufficient fluency to deliver speeches in that language without using notes. His main field of activity has been to enhance cultural ties between West Germany and Israel.
Ambassador-designate Haas has served recently as director of the political department here responsible for West German policy in Asia, Africa and South America.
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