After an eight-month standoff with Brazil over Israel’s choice of ambassador, Israel’s Foreign Ministry indicated on Thursday morning it was withdrawing the nomination of Dani Dayan.

Dayan, a native Spanish-speaker who grew up in Argentina, was chosen by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last August to serve as Ambassador to Brazil.

Brasilia, however rejected, the appointment, noting Dayan’s staunch opposition to Palestinian statehood and claiming that Brazil was not consulted over the choice. Brazil recognized the Palestinian Authority as a state in 2010.   

A former member of the Tehiya Party, Dayan headed the Yesha Council representing communities in Judea and Samaria from 2007 to 2013.

Israel’s government initially dug in its heels, refusing to suggest a new candidate, but on Thursday invited new applications for the position.   

“The Foreign Ministry human resources department has published today a tender which is addressed to the Israeli diplomats here at the Foreign Ministry, for the position of ambassador in Brasilia,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon told AFP.   

In February the Israeli Foreign Ministry denied reports that Israel was set to withdraw Dayan’s nomination saying, “We don’t have a fallback position.”

Hours later, however, the Foreign Ministry issued a follow-up statement, claiming that Dayan would remain Israel’s appointee for the ambassadorship. The Ministry claimed the earlier statement was the result of a “technical error”.

AFP contributed to this report