Mark Regev, the longtime foreign media spokesman for former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is leaving the Prime Minister’s Office this week.
Regev, 61, served as the senior adviser to Netanyahu for foreign affairs and international communications.
From the Second Lebanon War in 2006 through Guardian of the Walls this May, the Australian-born Regev has been one of the most prominent voices for Israel in the international media. The UK’s Guardian described him as “spin doctor in chief for the Israeli government.”
Regev is a Foreign Ministry professional, serving as the ministry’s spokesman before being assigned to the PMO in 2007, when Ehud Olmert was prime minister.
Following nine years as Olmert’s and then Netanyahu’s chief international spokesperson, Regev became Israel’s ambassador to the United Kingdom.
He returned to the Prime Minister’s Office for a second stint at Netanyahu’s request in 2020.
Regev stayed on to help the transition to the new government of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, but he is now returning to the Foreign Ministry. He has so far not disclosed his plans for the future, including whether he intends to stay in government.
Bennett, who has yet to appoint a replacement for Regev, has had native English-speaking advisers and spokespeople over his eight years in politics who are among those vying for the job.