Chinese ambassador to Israel found dead in Tel Aviv home

The Chinese ambassador to Israel, Du Wei, has been found dead in his home north of Tel Aviv, according to the Israeli foreign ministry and police.

No cause of death was given, and Israeli police on Sunday said it had opened an investigation.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld confirmed that Du was found in the early morning by the envoy’s staff in his home in Herzliya.

He said police were at the scene investigating the circumstances surrounding Du’s death. 

Media reports said according to an initial assessment, Du appears to have died of a cardiac arrest, but there was no official confirmation.

Yuval Rotem, Israel’s director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said he spoke with China’s deputy ambassador to express condolences and pledged to “help the Chinese embassy with anything they may need along the way”, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

Du had arrived in Israel in February. He had previously served as China’s envoy to Ukraine, according to the embassy’s website.

He is survived by a wife and son, both of whom were not in Israel.

Israel enjoys good relations with China.

The ambassador’s death comes just two days after he condemned comments by visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who denounced Chinese investments in Israel and accused China of hiding information about the coronavirus pandemic.