Mark Regev
| Mark Regev | |
|---|---|
| מארק רגב | |
| Ambassador of Israel to the United Kingdom | |
|
Assumed office April 2016 | |
| President | Reuven Rivlin |
| Prime Minister | Benjamin Netanyahu |
| Preceded by | Daniel Taub |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mark Freiberg 1960 (age 55–56) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Citizenship | Israel |
| Spouse(s) | Vered Regev |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Mount Scopus Memorial College |
| Alma mater |
Melbourne University Hebrew University of Jerusalem Boston University |
| Occupation | Diplomat and civil servant |
Mark Regev (Hebrew: מארק רגב, /ˈrɛdʒəv/) (born 1960) is an Israeli diplomat and civil servant, and the Ambassador of Israel to the United Kingdom since April 2016. Prior to that, he was the chief spokesman for the Prime Minister of Israel, a position he held from 2007 to 2015. Originally from Australia, he moved to Israel in 1982.
Early life
He was born Mark Freiberg in Melbourne, Australia in 1960 to Martin and Freda Freiberg. He was educated at Mount Scopus Memorial College, a Jewish day school in the Melbourne. He received his bachelor's degree in political science and history at Melbourne University, and master's degrees in political science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and in management from Boston University.
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. In 1982, he emigrated to Israel and worked at kibbutz Tel Katzir. In Israel, he Hebraicized his name from Freiberg to Regev.
Career
Regev began his career as a lecturer on international relations and strategy at the Israel Defense Forces Staff College. 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.[1] He also served as spokesman at the Embassy in Washington, D.C.. Regev was the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem from 2004 to 2007.
Regev has both received prominence and criticism in international media when he presented the Israeli position in numerous interviews to English language TV and radio channels during the 2006 Second Lebanon War, in 2008–09 Gaza War, the 2012 Operation Pillar of Defense, and the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict and Operation Brother's Keeper.
In August 2015, it was announced that Regev would become Israel's ambassador to the United Kingdom.[2]
Personal life
He is married to Vered Regev and they have three children.[3]
References
External links
- "Mark Regev". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 15 November 2004.
- Jason Koutsoukis (26 January 2008). "The (Aussie) voice of Israel". The Age.
- Regev answers questions about Israeli policy
- Transcript of a radio interview with Regev
- Another transcript of a radio interview with Regev
- Mark Regev: The one-man Israeli defence force who is set to become ambassador to Britain