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Mark Regev

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Mark Regev
מארק רגב
Ambassador of Israel to the United Kingdom
In office
April 2016 – 2020
PresidentReuven Rivlin
Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu
Preceded byDaniel Taub
Succeeded byTzipi Hotovely
Personal details
Born
Mark Freiberg

1960 (age 63–64)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
CitizenshipIsrael
SpouseVered Regev
Children3
EducationMount Scopus Memorial College
Alma materMelbourne University
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Boston University
OccupationDiplomat and civil servant

Mark Regev (Hebrew: מארק רגב; born 1960) is an Australian-Israeli diplomat, government advisor and civil servant.[1] Between June 2020 and April 2021, he served as the Prime Minister's Senior Advisor for Foreign Affairs and International Communications. From 2016 to 2020 Regev was Ambassador of Israel to the United Kingdom. Previously, he was the International Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office (2007 to 2016). He is currently being charged with Advocacy for Genocide, section 80.2D of the Australian Criminal Code, for public comments advocating for Genocide of the Palestinian people in the Australian media on ABC Radio.

Early life

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Regev was born Mark Freiberg in Melbourne, where he was raised, in Victoria, Australia, in 1960 to Martin and Freda Freiberg, two German Jews.[2][3] He was educated at Mount Scopus Memorial College, a Jewish day school in Melbourne.[4] He received his bachelor's degree in political science and history at the University of Melbourne, and master's degrees in political science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and in management from Boston University.[5][better source needed]

In his youth, Freiberg was a prominent member of the Socialist Zionist youth movement Ichud Habonim and was active in the Melbourne University Jewish Students Society.[6] In 1982, he emigrated to Israel and worked at kibbutz Tel Katzir.[6] In Israel, he Hebraicized his surname from Freiberg to Regev.[6] He served as a combat soldier in the Nahal Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).[7]

Career

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Regev at an International Holocaust Remembrance Day event at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London on January 23, 2019.

Regev began his career as a lecturer on international relations and strategy at the Israel Defense Forces Staff College.[5] He joined Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1990, serving as deputy chief of mission at the Consulate General in Hong Kong, and spokesman at the Israeli Embassy in Beijing.[8][better source needed]

Regev has received both prominence and criticism in international media when he has presented the Israeli position in interviews to English language TV[9] and radio channels[10] during the 2006 Lebanon War, the 2008–09 Gaza War, the 2012 Operation Pillar of Defense, the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict and Operation Brother's Keeper, and the 2021 Operation Guardian of the Walls.

As ambassador, Regev was involved in interfaith activities. He hosted an iftar dinner at his residence for members of Britain's Muslim leadership.[7][better source needed]

He is also the chair of the Abba Eban Institute for Diplomacy and Foreign Relations at Reichman University.[11][non-primary source needed]

Regev is married to Vered Regev and they have three children.[12][6][better source needed]

Regev appeared on British radio station LBC on the 13th of January, 2024 to call genocide allegations against Israel "preposterous."[13] In the same interview, he spoke about South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice as "very sad, because they basically decided to become Hamas' lawyer."[13]

Currently, Mark Regev is being charged with Advocacy for Genocide, section 80.2D of the Australian Criminal Code, for public comments advocating for Genocide of the Palestinian people in the Australian media on ABC Radio. He was served in Israel a few weeks ago with the charge sheet and summons. The case was filed by Robbie Thorpe and lawyer Daniel Taylor. Opening statements have been heard, the next hearing date is set for December 10, 2024.[14][15]

References

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  1. ^ "Israel Senior Advisor Talks Israel Hamas War, Diplomacy - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  2. ^ "Aussie Regev becomes Israel's man in the UK - The Australian Jewish News". 7 April 2016.
  3. ^ Bourke, Latika (2018-07-21). "The Aussie boy who's at home spruiking for Israel". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  4. ^ The (Aussie) voice of Israel - In Depth, The Age
  5. ^ a b "mfa.gov".
  6. ^ a b c d Mark Regev News, UPI
  7. ^ a b "Israel's man in London: Ambassador Mark Regev will go anywhere - Israel News - Jerusalem Post". www.jpost.com. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  8. ^ Mark Regev, Spokesman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, 15 November 2004
  9. ^ Mark Regev on Israel, conflict and antisemitism, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2021-09-23
  10. ^ "Political Thinking with Nick Robinson - The Mark Regev One - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
  11. ^ "Mark Regev appointed head of the Abba Eban Institute for International Diplomacy | Reichman University (IDC Herzliya)". www.runi.ac.il. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  12. ^ Ambassador Regev Arrives in the UK, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, 5 April 2016
  13. ^ a b Netanyahu's adviser calls genocide allegations 'preposterous' | LBC, retrieved 2024-01-17
  14. ^ Fink, Rachel (22 October 2024). "Australian-Israeli Former Diplomat Mark Regev Under Trial for Genocide Advocacy". Haaretz.
  15. ^ "Aboriginal activist files genocide case against ex-Israel envoy to UK in Australia court". Middle East Monitor. 21 October 2024.
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