Distinguished Israeli diplomat Shmuel Hadas dies at 72

Samuel (Shmuel) Hadas, Israel’s first ambassador to the Holy See in Rome, has died in Jerusalem at the age of 72. In a statement, World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder called Hadas “a pioneer of Jewish-Catholic relations who was not only instrumental in establishing relations between Israel and the Vatican during the 1990s, but who also showed tremendous dedication to filling this relationship with life and to establishing mutual trust and cooperation.” Hadas also served as the first Israeli ambassador to Spain, following the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1986.

Born in Argentina, he grew up in Israel and later entered the diplomatic service of the Jewish state, with postings in Mexico, Colombia and Bolivia. His posting as ambassador to the Holy See in Rome in 1993 marked the beginning of diplomatic relations between the Vatican and Israel. In recent years, he was chairman of the Israel Jewish Council for Inter-Religious Relations.

Ronald Lauder added: “Apart from being one of Israel’s finest diplomats, Shmuel Hadas was also an active participant in many endeavors of the World Jewish Congress, in particular in Jewish-Christian dialogue, and he educated many of our young leaders in the important art of diplomacy and inter-faith relations. He will be greatly missed, both in Israel and the Diaspora.”