Mark Regev ( he, מארק רגב; born 1960) is a former Israeli diplomat and civil servant who is currently the chair of the Abba Eban Institute for Diplomacy and Foreign Relations at
Reichman University
Reichman University ( he, אוניברסיטת רייכמן) is Israel's only private university, located in Herzliya, Tel Aviv District. It was founded in 1994 as the IDC Herzliya private college, before being rebranded in 2021.
It receives no ...
. Between June 2020 and April 2021, he served as the
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
's Senior Advisor for Foreign Affairs and International Communications. From 2016 to 2020 Regev was
Ambassador of Israel to the United Kingdom
The Ambassador from Israel to the United Kingdom is Israel's foremost Diplomat, diplomatic representative in the United Kingdom. The Ambassador is based in the Embassy of Israel, London.
Ambassadors
*1949–1950: Mordechai Ali'ash
*1950–1959: ...
. Previously, he was the International Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office (2007 to 2016). Most recently he was a visiting fellow at the
Institute for National Security Studies. In September 2021, Regev started writing a weekly column in the Jerusalem Post.
Early life
Regev was born Mark Freiberg in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, Australia in 1960 to Martin and Freda Freiberg. He was educated at
Mount Scopus Memorial College
, motto_translation =
, location = 245 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Melbourne, Victoria
, country = Australia
, coordinates =
, pushpin_map = Australia Melbourne
, pushpin_i ...
, a
Jewish day school
A Jewish day school is a modern Jewish educational institution that is designed to provide children of Jewish parents with both a Jewish and a secular education in one school on a full-time basis. The term "day school" is used to differentiate s ...
in Melbourne. He received his bachelor's degree in political science and history at
Melbourne University
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
, and master's degrees in
political science
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
from the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...
, and in management from
Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...
.
In his youth, Freiberg was a prominent member of the
Socialist Zionist
Labor Zionism ( he, צִיּוֹנוּת סוֹצְיָאלִיסְטִית, ) or socialist Zionism ( he, תְּנוּעָת הָעַבוֹדָה, label=none, translit=Tnuʽat haʽavoda) refers to the left-wing, socialist variation of Zionism. ...
youth movement
The following is a list of youth organizations. A youth organization is a type of organization with a focus upon providing activities and socialization for minors. In this list, most organizations are international unless noted otherwise.
0 ...
Ichud
Habonim and was active in the Melbourne University Jewish Students Society.
[Mark Regev News]
UPI In 1982, he
emigrated to Israel
Aliyah (, ; he, עֲלִיָּה ''ʿălīyyā'', ) is the immigration of Jews from Jewish diaspora, the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel, which is in the modern era chiefly represented by the Israel, State of Israel ...
and worked at kibbutz
Tel Katzir
Tel Katzir ( he, תֵּל קָצִיר, lit. "Harvest Hill") is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located to the south of the Sea of Galilee, it falls under the jurisdiction of Emek HaYarden Regional Council. In it had a population of .
History
The ...
.
In Israel, he
Hebraicized his surname from Freiberg to Regev.
He served as a combat soldier in the Nahal Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces.
Career
![Mark Regev at an International Holocaust Remembrance Day Event](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Mark_Regev_at_an_International_Holocaust_Remembrance_Day_Event.jpg)
Regev began his career as a lecturer on international relations and strategy at the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...
Staff College.
He joined Israel's
Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entit ...
in 1990, serving as deputy chief of mission at the Consulate General in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
, and spokesman at the Israeli Embassy in
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
. He also served as spokesman at the Embassy in
Washington, D.C.
)
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, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
Regev was the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
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 Lebanon War
The 2006 Lebanon War, also called the 2006 Israel–Hezbollah War and known in Lebanon as the July War ( ar, حرب تموز, ''Ḥarb Tammūz'') and in Israel as the Second Lebanon War ( he, מלחמת לבנון השנייה, ''Milhemet Leva ...
, the
2008–09 Gaza War, the 2012
Operation Pillar of Defense
In November 2012, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Pillar of Defense ( he, עַמּוּד עָנָן, ''ʿAmúd ʿAnán'', literally: "Pillar of Cloud") which was an eight-day campaign in the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip, which bega ...
, the
2014 Israel–Gaza conflict
The 2014 Gaza War, also known as Operation Protective Edge ( he, מִבְצָע צוּק אֵיתָן, translit=Miv'tza Tzuk Eitan, ),
was a military operation launched by Israel on 8 July 2014 in the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territories, Pale ...
and
Operation Brother's Keeper
On 12 June 2014, three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped at the bus/ hitchhiking stop at the Israeli settlement of Alon Shvut in Gush Etzion, in the West Bank, as they were hitchhiking to their homes. The three teens were Naftali Frenkel (16, ...
, and the 2021 Operation
Guardian of the Walls.
As ambassador, Regev was involved in interfaith activities. He hosted an
iftar
Iftar ( ar, translit=Iftar Ramadan, إفطار رمضان), also known as (from , , 'breakfast'), (), is the evening meal with which Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset. They break their fast at the time of the call to prayer (a ...
dinner at his residence for members of Britain’s Muslim leadership.
Regev is married to Vered Regev and they have three children.
Ambassador Regev Arrives in the UK
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( he, מִשְׂרַד הַחוּץ, translit. ''Misrad HaHutz''; ar, وزارة الخارجية الإسرائيلية) is one of the most important ministries in the Israeli government. The ministry's ...
, 5 April 2016
References
External links
*
*
Transcript of a radio interview with Regev
WNYC 6 April 2002
USA Today 3 May 2002
ABC 22 December 2005
Independent 14 August 2015
* ttps://www.smh.com.au/world/middle-east/the-aussie-boy-who-s-at-home-spruiking-for-israel-20180704-p4zpb6.html The Aussie boy who's at home spruiking for IsraelSydney Morning Herald 22 July 2018
{{DEFAULTSORT:Regev, Mark
1960 births
Living people
Date of birth missing (living people)
Ambassadors of Israel to the United Kingdom
Australian emigrants to Israel
Australian Jews
Boston University School of Management alumni
Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Social Sciences alumni
Israeli civil servants
Israeli Jews
Israeli people of Australian-Jewish descent
People from Melbourne
University of Melbourne alumni