Former member of the Italian parliament, Fiamma Nirenstein, has withdtrawn her candidacy to become Israel’s ambassador in Rome, citing “personal reasons.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the appointment of Nirenstein as Israeli ambassador to Rome in August of last year.

But Italy's foreign and defense ministries voiced opposition to the appointment on the grounds that Nirenstein had previously represented Italian voters, would continue to receive a government salary as a former MP even after becoming ambassador, and was privy to Italian state secrets, among other objections.

The choice was also not well received by Italy's Jewish community which said the appointment would be considered as dual-loyalty against Italy's Jews, given a unsuccessful bid by Nirenstein to serve as president of the community in the past.

Nirenstein, 71, worked for years as a journalist. Between 2008 and 2013, she was a member of the Italian parliament affiliated with the party of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. She was also deputy chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the Italian parliament.

She made aliyah in 2013.

The withdrawal announcement came three weeks after the offices of both Netanyahu and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi denied a report in daily Haaretz that the Italian premier discreetly asked Netanyahu to reconsider the appointment of Nirenstein as Israel’s next envoy to Rome.