On June 14, the Israeli government restored full diplomatic relations with New Zealand after Prime Minister Bill English sent a letter expressing regret at fallout from UN Resolution 2334. The letter was preceded by discreet diplomatic contacts between the two governments and a telephone conversation between English and his Israeli counterpart Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Following the letter and phone conversation, the Israeli Foreign Ministry's director-general Yuval Rotem announced that the Israeli Ambassador Itzhak Gerbeg would be returning to Wellington to assume his duties. The New Zealand Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee confirmed the restoration of full diplomatic relations. The New Zealand Labour Party leader Andrew Little and the Green Party's foreign affairs spokesperson Kennedy Graham criticised the government for backtracking on its previous support for the resolution and sending mixed messages.