Amit Mekel
Amit Mekel | |
|---|---|
| עמית מקל | |
 Amit Mekel in 2024 | |
| Israeli Ambassador to Paraguay | |
| Assumed office 7 October 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Benjamin Netanyahu |
| Preceded by | Yoed Magen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Amit Makalda 20 February 1980 Daliyat al-Karmel, Israel |
| Citizenship | Israeli |
| Spouse | Keren Mekel |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
Amit Mekel (Hebrew: עמית מקל; born Amit Makalda, 20 February 1980) is an Israeli diplomat. Since 2024, he is the Israeli Ambassador to Paraguay.[1]
Early life and education
Mekel was born Amit Makalda, in the Druze village Daliyat al-Karmel on 20 February 1980.[2] At 14, he moved to Haifa, to study at the Hugim Highschool.[2] He served as a paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces for five years and then went to graduate with a bachelor's degree in diplomacy and strategy at Reichman University and a master's degree in diplomacy and security at Tel Aviv University.[2] He is pursuing a doctorate at the Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate University.
Diplomatic career
Mekel's first diplomatic mission was as spokesperson at the Israeli embassy of Cairo, followed by three years as the vice consul general in Sao Paulo, Brazil.[2][3] He then served as advisor for the Middle East peace process in the Israeli delegation to the European Union and NATO in Brussels, Belgium,[2][4] followed by serving as the deputy director of European International Division in Israel.[2]
Mekel's first major post was as Deputy chief of mission in the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles,[5] making him the first Druze and non-Jewish diplomat to hold a senior role representing Israel in the Pacific Southwest.[3][6] For his contribution to socialization and human rights in this position, he received an honorary doctorate from the Latin University of Theology.[7] In 2024 he was appointed Israeli Ambassador to Paraguay,[1] and he presented his credentials to Santiago Peña, the president of Paraguay on 6 November 2024.[8]
Personal life
Mekel is married to Keren since 2010, and is the father of three children.[9] Married to a Jewish woman, Mekel chose to raise his children as Jewish, adopting the surname Mekel after his first child's birth.[2] He speaks Hebrew, Arabic, English and Portuguese.[10] In 2024 he released the book "The Journey to Israeliness" ("המסע לישראליות"), which tells his life journey.[2]
References
- ^ a b "הודעת מזכיר הממשלה בתום ישיבת הממשלה מיום 18 באוגוסט 2024" [Announcement from the Cabinet Secretary at the end of the Cabinet meeting of August 18, 2024]. www.gov.il (in Hebrew). 18 August 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Odeh-Carantinji, Samar (1 January 2025). "Meet Israel's ambassador to Paraguay, Amit Mekel Madalit El Carmel". חי פֹּה. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ a b "הדיפלומט הדרוזי מהרצליה שהפך שגריר ישראל בפרגוואי. בקרוב הספר" [The Druze diplomat from Herzliya who became Israel's ambassador to Paraguay. Book coming soon]. שרון אונליין (in Hebrew). 28 November 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ אור-אל, איילה (22 July 2022). "בנקאות מהנה" [Enjoyable Banking]. We Are in America (in Hebrew). Retrieved 13 January 2025.
- ^ "About the embassy". embassies.gov.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ Harrison, Donald H. (27 January 2024). "Druze Diplomat Emphasizes Importance of Transcending Religious, Cultural Boundaries". San Diego Jewish World. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
first non-Jewish Israeli diplomat in this region
- ^ "Nuevo embajador de Israel ya se encuentra en Asunción" [Israel's new ambassador is already in Asuncion]. Última Hora (in Spanish). 12 October 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ "Presidente Peña recibe cartas credenciales de nuevos embajadores" [President Peña receives credentials from new ambassadors]. Presidencia de la República del Paraguay (in Spanish). 6 November 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ "דרוזי גאה: כך הפך סגן הקונסול הכללי בלוס אנג׳לס עמית מקל לשגריר ישראל בפארגוואי" [Proud Druze: This is how Deputy Consul General in Los Angeles Amit Mekel became Israel's ambassador to Paraguay]. Shavua Israeli (in Hebrew). 30 October 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ "Nuevo embajador de Israel presenta copias de cartas credenciales a Canciller Nacional" [New Israeli ambassador presents copies of credentials to Foreign Minister]. www.mre.gov.py. 10 November 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.