Boaz Moda'i Explained

Boaz Moda'i
Israeli Ambassador to Slovakia
Term Start:2019
Predecessor:Zvi Aviner Vapni
Title2:Israeli Ambassador to Ireland
Term Start2:September 2010
Term End2:September 2015
Predecessor2:Zion Evrony
Successor2:Zeev Boker
Profession:Diplomat
Spouse:Nurit Tinari Modai
Native Name:בועז מודעי
Native Name Lang:He

Boaz Moda'i (also Boaz Modai, Hebrew: בועז מודעי) is an Israeli diplomat. He was Israel's ambassador to Ireland from 2010 to 2015.[1]

Biography

Boaz Moda'i is the son of Yitzhak Moda'i, an Israeli politician. His mother, Michal Har'el, was the second Miss Israel, crowned in 1951, later an honorary life president of the Women's International Zionist Organization.[2]

Diplomatic career

Modai joined Israel's foreign ministry in 1988. He has served in Israeli embassies in Guatemala, Honduras, Thailand, and London. He served as first counselor of Israel's Embassy to the Holy See.[3] In that role he acted as political co-ordinator for the visit of Pope John Paul II to Israel in 2000.[4] Before moving to Dublin, he spent six years in the Training Bureau of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem.[5] [6]

After becoming ambassador to Ireland, he was joined in his work by his wife, Nurit Tinari-Modai (Nurit Tinari Modai), who served as Deputy Head of Mission.[7] [8] Under their leadership the Israeli Embassy in Dublin was criticized for diplomatic faux pas on social media accounts. They were accused of adopting a "provocative" approach to diplomacy that has been embarrassing to the embassy.[9]

The embassy won an award for its online hasbara from the Comper Center for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism at University of Haifa. On Dec 31, 2013, the university's website noted: "The annual appreciation for extraordinary hasbara activity was granted today … to Israel's ambassador to Ireland, Boaz Modai, and his deputy, Nurit Tinari-Modai, by the unique academic program 'Ambassadors Online,' which trains students for pro-Israel hasbara activity online." It lauded them for "activity in the struggle against those who promote the economic-cultural boycott of Israel and against anti-Semitic agents," and credited them with "exposing Israeli culture and the variety of Israel's tourist locations and technological achievements to the residents of Ireland."[10]

On 16 October 2019 Moda'i presented his credentials to president Zuzana Čaputová to become ambassador to Slovakia.[11]

Controversy

While he was Head of the Instruction Branch in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Moda'i was investigated by police after a former employee complained of receiving harassing phone calls from an unidentified number. Police traced the phone number to Moda'i, who said the woman had spread rumors that he was having an affair. The Jerusalem police issued a restraining order and recommended that Moda'i be prosecuted.[12]

The Moda'i couple was accused of inappropriate social media postings.

Modai complained to the Office of the Press Ombudsman against The Irish Times, claiming its coverage of Israel violated principles of press code of conduct.[21] [22] In one complaint, Modai asserted that an interview with Gideon Levy of Haaretz published by the Irish Times[23] did not question what he had said. Modai protested that the headline was "anti-Semitic and insulting to the State of Israel and its people."[24]

Notes and References

  1. "Ex-UN ambassador to become next Egypt envoy"http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/ex-un-ambassador-to-become-next-egypt-envoy-1.3640
  2. "Moda’i, World WIZO honorary president, dies at 81"http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Modai-World-WIZO-honorary-president-dies-at-81
  3. Palmieri-Billig, Lisa. "Vatican and Israel jointly seek pilgrims for Year 2000" (Sept 22, 1995) Jweekly http://www.jweekly.com/includes/print/1622/article/vatican-and-israel-jointly-seek-pilgrims-for-year-2000/
  4. Web site: Ireland Stand up Updates . 2014-12-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150108213626/http://www.irelandstandup.org/updates.html . 2015-01-08 . dead .
  5. Web site: The ambassador . 2014-11-15 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140828125825/http://embassies.gov.il/dublin/AboutTheEmbassy/Pages/The-ambassador.aspx . 2014-08-28 .
  6. Rosen, Robyn. "Irish government rejects Israel boycott" (June 24, 2010) The Jewish Chronicle http://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/33404/irish-government-rejects-israel-boycott
  7. http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/64395/why-mr-ambassador-youre-spoiling-me "Why Mr Ambassador You're Spoiling Me"
  8. Raphael Ahren, "Israeli Embassy's 'lynching Jesus' Facebook post sparks Irish ire" http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-embassy-facebook-post-sparks-irish-ire/ Times of Israel, December 17, 2012
  9. Robert Mackey, "Israeli Embassy Deletes 'Christmas Thought' Attacking Palestinians From Facebook" The New York Times, 17 Dec 2012
  10. http://wordpress.haifa.ac.il/?p=4427
  11. https://www.prezident.sk/page/vymenovania-a-odvolania/ "Vymenovania a odvolania"
  12. Shoval, Lilach. "Foreign Ministry official admits to harassment: Official receives restraining order after discovery that he called an employee repeatedly at night and hung up" (March 28, 2007) YNET News http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3382506,00.html
  13. News: Barak Ravid . Israeli embassy in Ireland's latest Facebook post: If Jesus were alive, he'd be lynched by Palestinians . Haaretz . 17 December 2012 . 21 January 2015.
  14. http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-embassy-facebook-post-sparks-irish-ire/ Israeli Embassy’s 'lynching Jesus' Facebook post sparks Irish ire
  15. News: Jonny Silver . Israel's Ireland embassy: Hitler would have liked the UN . Haaretz . 6 August 2013 . 21 January 2015.
  16. News: Israel's Ireland embassy: France, don't say we didn't warn you . Haaretz . 14 January 2015 . 21 January 2015.
  17. Web site: Deputy Ambassador in Ireland: the pro-Palestinian activists motivated by sexual identity problems . . 12 June 2012 . 17 March 2015 .
  18. Web site: Israel's Dublin embassy planned to smear Palestine activists as sexual deviants and Mossad agentsAli Abunimah . The Electronic Intifada . 12 June 2012 . 17 March 2015 .
  19. Web site: Israeli Deputy Ambassador/Culture Officer in Dublin advocates intimidation and smearing human rights activists; suggests humiliating them by associating them with Mossad and 'sexual identity problems' . Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign . 13 June 2012 . 17 March 2015 .
  20. Web site: 'Pro-Palestinian activists have sexual identity problems' . +972 Magazine . Noam Sheizaf . 12 June 2012 . 21 January 2015 .
  21. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075000/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/News/article1537390.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2015_03_28 Press regulator rejects Israeli claims of bias
  22. Web site: 2016-03-15 . His Excellency Boaz Modai, Ambassador of Israel, and The Irish Times . 2023-10-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160315023715/http://www.presscouncil.ie/decided-by-press-ombudsman/his-excellency-boaz-modai-ambassador-of-israel-and-the-irish-times.2452.html . 15 March 2016 .
  23. http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/holocaust-makes-israelis-think-international-law-doesn-t-apply-1.1924554 "Holocaust makes Israelis think international law doesn’t apply"
  24. http://www.presscouncil.ie/decided-by-press-ombudsman/his-excellency-boaz-modai-ambassador-of-israel-and-the-irish-times.2452.html His Excellency Boaz Modai, Ambassador of Israel, and The Irish Times

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