Yehuda Lancry was born in Bejaad (Morocco) on September 25, 1947, to a Jewish family of modest means. His father Imran worked in handicrafts, while his mother Rahma was a seamstress. Her sister was a well-known midwife in the region.
After moving to Casablanca, Yehuda attended Alliance schools. In 1965, the family emigrated to Israel, and it was at the University of Haifa that Yahuda completed his studies. He obtained a doctorate in French literature, before joining the ranks of the Israeli army like all young Israelis of his age.
Yehuda remained attached to his Moroccan roots and the love of his native country never left him. So he got into the habit of going there whenever the opportunity arose. He has also kept many friendships that go back to his youth.
Yehuda Lancry joined the Likud where he rose through the ranks until he became a prominent politician. He was the director of the second largest Israeli television channel, with all that this means in terms of power and influence. His talents led him to become Israel’s ambassador to France, a position he held from 1992 to 1995, before being elected deputy speaker of the Knesset in 1996. From 1999 to 2002, he served as Ambassador to the United Nations.
Yehuda Lancry presided over the Israeli mission to the United Nations during the Camp David talks and the second Intifada. He also played many important roles and provided valuable services to Morocco on the Sahara issue while he was Permanent Representative to Israel in the UN General Assembly. It is for this reason that His Majesty King Mohammed VI decorated him by the order of the throne with the rank of an officer.
Lancry is a member of the International Union of Moroccan Jews. He is the author of several books on politics as well as his private life, following the loss of his two sons Ran and Nadav when they were still young. It was because of a genetic disease; a tragedy he wrote about in his book entitled “Le messager meurtri” (The Bruised Messenger).
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