A former member of the Italian parliament Fiamma Nirenstein has been appointed Israel’s ambassador to Israel, just two years after making aliyah.

Nirenstein, an Italian Jew born in Florence, is a journalist who was elected to the Italian parliament in 2008 as a member of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's center-right People of Freedom party.

She served as the vice president of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies until 2013. She also headed the Committee for the Inquiry into anti-Semitism.

As a journalist, she authored 10 books in Italian and two in English on Israel, the Middle East and anti-Semitism. She worked for Italian dailies La Stampa and Il Giornale.

“I am convinced that Fiamma Nirenstein will bring with her to the position her considerable diplomatic and political experience, and will succeed in deepening relations between Israel and Italy, our close friend, including in the diplomatic, economic, cultural and security spheres,” Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after meeting with Nirenstein.

“The connection between Jerusalem and Rome is over 2,000 years old. I am pleased to send Fiamma Nirenstein to strengthen this link,” he said.

Nirenstein said: "I am happy to accept this mission that the Prime Minister has set before me, to strengthen relations between Israel and Italy. I promised the prime minister that I would do everything in my ability to strengthen the brave links between the two countries."

Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said, "Netanyahu was impressed by Nirenstein's considerable abilities, talents and connections in the Italian political system, which is why he decided to appoint her to the post."

While serving as a member of the Italian parliament, Nirenstein was a strong advocate for Israel. She served as a member of the European Friends of Israel and was a founding member of the Friends of Israel Initiative. Launched in 2010 by then-Spanish prime minister José Maria Aznar, the initiative brings together high-level politicians and notable personalities in defense of Israel.

The Italian politician generated a number of headlines for her vocal opposition to Hamas and the Iranian regime. She once declined to participate in a meeting with Iranian parliament members, saying “a dialogue with Iran’s official representatives is completely pointless.”

With her appointment as ambassador to Italy, Nirenstein will have to give up her Italian citizenship.

Last week, Netanyahu appointed Dani Dayan, a resident of the Ma’aleh Shomron settlement, who was the head of Yesha, the Council of Jewish Communities of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) from 2007-2013, as Israel's next ambassador to Brazil.