Dumb Story of the Day

"Madonna feud rocks Israel's diplomatic boat"

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - An Israeli diplomatic row that features high-powered wives and guest-stars Madonna took a new twist on Monday that could cost the country's leading ambassador his job.

The soap-opera-like spat centers on a request by Israel's ambassador to Washington Danny Ayalon for an official probe into whether Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom's socialite wife fired an embassy aide for failing to secure her an audience with Madonna.

Foreign Ministry sources have suggested Ayalon was trying to divert attention from the dispatch to Washington of a government investigator to look into allegations his wife verbally abused domestic staff at their official residence.

In the latest development, a source close to Shalom said he was determined to remove Ayalon from his post, even though the ambassador had won respect in Washington.

"Shalom has lost confidence in him," the source said.

Offering a break from matters of war and peace that normally dominate Israeli politics, the dispute has been played out in daily newspaper headlines and TV newscasts.

"The fight gets dirtier," the Israeli daily Maariv headlined its story on the feud, which reflected long-simmering tensions between Shalom and Ayalon, hand-picked by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, over the handling of Israel's all-important U.S. ties.

Ayalon's three-year term ends in August and the government's usual practice is to grant an automatic one-year extension.