Tzipi Hotovely
Ambassador of Israel to the United Kingdom | |
---|---|
Assumed office August 2020 | |
President | |
Prime Minister | |
Preceded by | Mark Regev |
Personal details | |
Born | Rehovot, Israel | 2 December 1978
Political party | Likud |
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | Tel Aviv University Bar-Ilan University |
Occupation | Politician, diplomat, lawyer, journalist |
Tzipi Hotovely (
Biography
Hotovely was born and raised in
Political career
On 11 November 2008, Hotovely announced that she was joining Likud, and would compete in the party's primaries for the 2009 Knesset elections. She won 18th place on the party's list, and became a member of the Knesset when Likud won 27 seats.[7] In 2009, she was the 18th Knesset's youngest member. She chaired the Knesset Committee on the Status of Women in the 18th Knesset, before joining the government at the beginning of the 19th Knesset in 2013.[8]
While a member of the Knesset's Committee on the State of Women and Gender Equality in 2011, she invited representatives from Lehava (Prevention of Assimilation in the Holy Land), a group whose primary objective is to oppose assimilation of Jews and which objects to any personal or business relationships between Jews and non-Jews,[9][10] to a discussion of the tactics used by the organization to prevent romantic relationships between Jews and Arabs. Hotovely defended her decision at the time, saying, "it is important to me to check systems to prevent mixed marriages, and Lehava are the most suitable for this."[11]
In March 2011, she wrote that Israeli author
In December 2011, Hotovely gained media attention by sitting at the front of a Mehadrin bus used by some Haredim, where women are asked to sit at the back of the bus.[14]
She was re-elected in the
In July 2017, following the declaration of the
In January 2020, Hotovely was nominated for
On November 9, 2021, Hotovely took part in a debate forum at the London School of Economics (LSE). She was evacuated under heavy security from the event after pro-Palestinian activists and the LSE Islamic Society organised large protests against her presence. Protestors on campus accused her of "platforming racism."[23][24] The protests were condemned by British government ministers, including Nadhim Zahawi and James Cleverly, while Home Secretary Priti Patel said she would support a police investigation into the matter. Some publications also pointed out the meeting was held on the eve of the anniversary of Kristallnacht.[25] In response, LSE also released a statement saying that Hotovely was able to finish her talk mostly unhindered on schedule but added "intimidation or threats of violence are completely unacceptable."[26][27] The Metropolitan Police confirmed officers attended the protest but no arrests were made, and there was "no investigation" launched into the events.[28]
Views and opinions
Hotovely practises Orthodox Judaism, and is a self-described "religious right-winger".[6]
In 2013, Hotovely rejected
In October 2015, in an interview with the Knesset Channel, Hotovely said: "It's my dream to see the Israeli flag flying on the Temple Mount." She added: "I think it's the center of Israeli sovereignty, the capital of Israel, the holiest place for the Jewish people", despite the government's insistence that it has no intention of changing the status quo at the site.[31][32]
Alongside fellow politician Avraham Michaeli, Tzipi Hotovely is one of the most prominent Georgian-Jewish politicians in Israel, and takes part in events to celebrate the Georgian-Jewish community.[33] In the Knesset, she sponsored a national authority bill to preserve and recognise the heritage of Georgian Jews.[34]
In a 22 November 2017 interview with Israel's
In 2019, Hotovely criticised the Board of Deputies of British Jews. Following the publication of the Board's Jewish Manifesto, which noted support for a two-state solution, she complained that they had not consulted "Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, our ambassador, any other political authority" before publication; also stating "an organization that supports the establishment of a Palestinian state is working against Israeli interests".[36][37]
During the
Criticism
Several senior members of the British Jewish community criticized her appointment as
At her first event as ambassador with
In an interview with
Personal life
On 27 May 2013, Hotovely married Or Alon, a lawyer,[50] in a wedding that had 2,500 guests.[51] She gave birth to her first daughter in 2014,[52] to her second in 2016,[53] and to her third in 2018.[54]
References
- ^ "Netanyahu Comments Cast Doubt on Stance Toward Palestinians". New York Times.
- ^ "Antisemitism row engulfs Labour after protests against Israeli ambassador". The National.
- ^ "Palestinians decry Trump's choice for Israel ambassador". Al Jazeera.
- ^ a b "After Year of Deadlock and Days of Delays, Knesset Swears in New Israeli Government". Haaretz. 17 May 2020.
- ^ Shalom Koboshvili: Georgia’s Jewish Heritage by Milad Doroudian, 12 May 2014 | 9:08 am
- ^ a b Lehmann, Sara (1 July 2009). "Likud's Rising Star – Single, Female And Religious". The Jewish Press. Archived from the original on 5 July 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
- ^ Ilan, Shahar. "The freshman". Haaretz. Retrieved 21 February 2009.
- ^ "ציפי חוטובלי, למישהו אכפת מזכויותיה של אשה?" Chairperson of the Committee on the Status of Women, Press Releases, 03/08/2011, www.tzipi.org.il
- ^ Lehava 'Hotline' to Help Prevent Intermarriage, Assimilation Israel National News, 9 September 2013
- ^ Meet Lehava, the Israeli Fascists Mounting a Vicious Crusade to Keep their Women Away from Arabs International Business Times, 22 September 2014
- ^ Deputy Foreign Minister Hotovely tells world: Don't be afraid of me YNET, 16 May 2015.
- ^ "Book of Esther: Jewish fate ever since", Tzipi Hotovely, Israel Today, 17 March 2011
- ^ "Amos Oz calls for Barghouti's release in book dedication". The Jerusalem Post. 15 March 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
- ^ "Female MK to sit at front of 'mehadrin' bus". The Jerusalem Post. 28 December 2011.
- ^ "Israelis outraged by UNESCO decision on Hebron holy site". ABC News. Associated Press. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- ^ Hotovely to Arab MKs: You are thieves of history Arutz7, 13 July 2017
- ^ ‘You are thieves of history!’ Hotovely tells Palestinians, waving books at them Mondoweiss, Jonathan Ofir, 16 July 2017
- ^ חיים לוינסון (10 January 2020). "ח"כ דוד ביטן, החשוד בשוחד, ויתר על המינוי לשר החקלאות לאור העיכובים". Haaretz (in Hebrew).
- ^ "ציפי חוטובלי התפטרה מהכנסת, אריאל קלנר ייכנס". Arutz Sheva (in Hebrew). 2 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ "השרה חוטובלי מונתה לשגרירה בלונדון; הנגבי החליף אותה במשרד ההתיישבות". Haaretz (in Hebrew). Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ "לפיד רוצה להשיב את השגרירה בלונדון חוטובלי ולמנות במקומה את יעל גרמן". Haaretz. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ "השרה חוטובלי מונתה לשגרירה בלונדון; הנגבי החליף אותה במשרד ההתיישבות". Haaretz. 2 August 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ "Israel's UK ambassador evacuated from event under heavy security amid protests". Times of Israel. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ "Ambassador to UK Hotovely narrowly avoids attack by anti-Israel protester". The Jerusalem Post. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ a b Tommer Spence, 'It's not antisemitic to protest Israel's ambassador. Just ask British Jews,' Haaretz 15 November 2021
- ^ "Priti Patel backs police investigation of LSE protest against Israeli ambassador". The Guardian. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- ^ "Ambassador to UK Hotovely almost attacked by anti-Israel protester". The Jerusalem Post. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- ^ "Met Police rule out investigation into LSE protests against Israeli envoy". Jewish News. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ "Hotovely laments Likud 'schizophrenia' on two states". The Jerusalem Post. 28 August 2013.
- ^ "Israel's new deputy foreign minister: 'This land is ours". The Guardian. 22 May 2015.
- ^ "Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister: I Dream of Israeli Flag on Temple Mount". The Times of Israel. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
- ^ Lis, Jonathan; Ravid, Barak (26 October 2015). "Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister: I Dream of Israeli Flag on Temple Mount". Haaretz. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
- ^ A gala evening in Tel Aviv 23-12-2012
- ^ "הצעת חוק הרשות הלאומית למורשת יהדות גיאורגיה (גרוזיה), התשס"ט".
- ^ "Hotovely: US Jews lead 'convenient' lives, don't serve in the military". Jewish Telegraph Agency. 22 November 2017.. Her statement came as she was addressing increased tensions between Israel and U.S. Jewry.
- ^ Pfeffer, Anshel. "Tzipi Hotovely is the ugly, extremist face of Israel. British Jews should welcome her". Haaretz.com.
- ^ Harpin, Lee. "Incoming envoy Hotovely attacked Board over two-state commitment". The Jewish Chronicle.
- ^ "Israeli ambassador to UK: 'There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza'". Al Arabiya.
- ^ "'No humanitarian crisis' in Gaza: Israeli envoy to UK". Arab News.
- ^ "Israel ambassador says there is 'no humanitarian crisis' in Gaza". The Hill.
- ^ "To put Israel's points, first learn about the Brits". www.thejc.com.
- ^ "Israel must reconsider its choice of UK ambassador". timesofisrael.com.
- ^ "Senior community figures challenge incoming Israeli envoy Tzipi Hotovely". www.thejc.com.
- ^ Sherwood, Harriet (20 June 2020). "Outrage as hardliner is chosen as next Israeli ambassador to UK". The Observer. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
- ^ "Top Reform rabbi: Israeli envoy's views could create 'tragedy' for diaspora ties". Jewish News. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
- ^ "Israel-Hamas war: Ambassador says Israel will not accept two-state solution". Sky News. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "Israel-Gaza latest news: Israel says 70 fighters arrested at Gaza hospital; Hamas says medical care blocked". BBC News. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ HuffPost UK. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "Rishi Sunak 'doesn't agree' with Israeli ambassador's rejection of two-state solution". The Independent. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ Lahav Harkov (2 February 2013). "Likud MK Tzipi Hotovely gets engaged". The Jerusalem Post.
- ^ רועי צ'יקי ארד (27 May 2013). "הערב המרגש של חוטובלי, וכמעט של כולם". Haaretz (in Hebrew).
- ^ Arutz Sheva (24 March 2014). "Tzipi Hotovely's Firstborn Daughter Named Ma'ayan".
- ^ Arutz Sheva (24 April 2016). "Deputy Foreign Minister gives birth to daughter: Second daughter born to Tzipi Hotovely; Eliraz to join sister Maayan and father Or Elon".
- ^ "Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely gives birth to third child". The Jerusalem Post. 18 June 2018.
External links
- Tzipi Hotovely on the Knesset website
- Bar Ilan University Faculty of Law Journal publications edited by Tzipi Hotovely Archived 21 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Bar-Ilan University Press
- Tzipi Hotovely's column Ma'ariv (in Hebrew)