ROME- The Jewish community in Italy is reportedly up in arms over journalist Fiamma Nirenstein's appointment as the new Israeli ambassador to Italy, according to reputed Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano.

Up until now, the only official statements released by the Jewish community have been from Riccardo Pacifici and the head rabbi of Rome, Riccardo di Segni, who gave a curt response to the journalist’s appointment. “Fiamma Nirenstein? A brilliant journalist”, di Segni said, a thinly veiled implication that she should keep to the journalism profession. Di Segni continued, “I fear that Nirenstein could cause some image problems for the Jewish community. You only have to look at the response to the news on social media to see this.”

Di Segni is not mistaken: a Facebook group called “No to Fiamma Nirenstein, ambassador in Italy” was created in the wake of the announcement. By contrast the former president of the Jewish community in Rome, Riccardo Pacifici has remained rather diplomatic regarding Nirenstein’s appointment: “I hope that this appointment strengthens relations between our country and Israel thanks to her vast experience of both countries.”

In 2008, Nirenstein made Aliyah, the immigration of Jews to their homeland, Israel, and acquired an Israeli passport, renouncing her previous Italian nationality. The appointment is to begin from 2016, and is subject to a vote by Israeli parliament the Knesset, but they are expected to rubber stamp the nomination.

 The Roman Jewish community, one of the most prominent in Italy with 15,000 members, reportedly has expressed disdain at the choice of ambassador for a number of reasons.

 She has been criticised for changing her political allegiances rather dramatically, having originally supported the communist party, Craxi's socialists, and then went to work with Gianfranco Fini, who was a former member of the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement and later leader of right-wing group National Alliance. Nirenstein organised Fini’s controversial trip to Israel, and had most recently supported centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi.

 Some liberal members of the Jewish community also disapproves of her hardline position which is akin to that of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, according to the Il Fatto repoert. Her personality has also been under fire, with one member of the Roman Jewish community saying to Il Fatto Quotidiano that it is “unwieldy” and “unable to handle the finesse of a diplomatic role”.

The Roman community are also concerned that Nirenstein could incite “anti-semitism dressed up as anti-Zionism” and regard her as better suited to a more low profile job. Roman Jews also have recalled what was described as Nirenstein’s questionable response to her defeat in the presidential elections for the Jewish community last May.

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