Wife of Interior Minister Shalom sparks uproar with 'racist' Obama tweet

Judy Shalom Nir Mozes deletes joke about Obama after criticism.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

JUNE 21, 2015 18:33

Updated: JUNE 22, 2015 10:47

Silvan Shalom and his wife Judy (photo credit: REUTERS) — Silvan Shalom and his wife Judy

(photo credit: REUTERS)

Judy Shalom Nir Mozes, an Israeli television personality and the wife of Interior Minister Silvan Shalom was criticized Sunday for a joke she tweeted about US President Barack Obama.

Mozes raised eyebrows Sunday when she said on her official Twitter account: "Do u know what Obama Coffee is? Black and weak."

Followers of Mozes responded immediately to the tweet with criticism, such as: "@JudyMozes no doubt racism has no connection to brains."

Others responded in Hebrew with tweets such as, "Have you gone mad," and "You'd better erase this...frighteningly racist."

Mozes later deleted the tweet, issuing a new tweet in which she said, "I apologize, that was a stupid joke somebody told me."

I apologize, that was a stupid joke somebody told me.
— Judy Mozes (@JudyMozes) June 21, 2015

Later Sunday evening Mozes released another tweet in which she wrote: President Obama I shouldnt have written the inappropriate joke I heard. I like people no matter about their race and religion.

President Obama I shouldnt have written the inappropriate joke I heard. I like people no matter about their race and religion.
— Judy Mozes (@JudyMozes) June 21, 2015

Sorry if I caused any offence to anyone. I hope I will stay married when my husband will land and hear what I did.
— Judy Mozes (@JudyMozes) June 21, 2015

In addition to being the interior minister her husband is also in charge of the strategic dialogue with the US.

Mozes caused a stir in 2012 when she resigned from her position at UNICEF, the UN’s organization for children’s rights.

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She had been nominated to represent UNICEF in Israel and joined a sparkling list of celebrities who have been ambassadors of the organization including David Beckham, Sarah Jessica Parker, Shakira, Queen Rania of Jordan and even Kate and William of the British royal family.

But during 2012's Operation Pillar of Defense, Mozes sparked controversy after posting a few statuses on Facebook in support of the Israeli government taking action in Gaza.

“There is nothing I value more than human life,” she wrote on November 12th, “How is it possible to make peace with people whose children are fed hatred towards Israel from the moment they are born? How is it possible to make peace with people who have it in their DNA to hate us? I am willing to make real peace at any price. The problem is that there is no partner. I wish I was wrong.”

Another post followed two days later where she wrote: “I very much hope that Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] will not surrender to the pressures of our enemies and continue the operation until the last terrorist is murdered in Gaza.”