The Israeli Army Is NOT Happy About Bar Refaeli's Pro-Israel Ad

The Israeli Foreign Ministry picked supermodel Bar Refaeli as the face of its new ad campaign, and the Israeli Defence Force is not happy about it.

Why? The Sports Illustrated bikini model dodged Israel's mandatory, two-year military service.
IDF spokesman Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai explained in a letter to the Foreign Ministry Director that:

"The choice of a representative who did not serve in the military as an official presenter on behalf of Israel, conveys the message that we ignore and forgive evasion of enlistment, and encourages identification, among youths of both sexes, with the success of those who did not enlist ... The IDF has been operating, in the last few years, in a variety of ways, to strengthen the value of IDF service, and to fight the phenomenon of enlistment evasion, in order to preserve the societal value that sees the IDF as the people's army.”

Refaeli has spoken out about skipping out on service. According to Jewish news site Ynet, Refaeli briefly married a friend to evade the draft:

“I really wanted to serve in the IDF, but I don’t regret not enlisting, because it paid off big time,” she told a reporter. “That’s just the way it is, celebrities have other needs. I hope my case has influenced the army.

This isn't the first time Refaeli has come under fire for dodging the draft. A boycott was organized in 2008 after the model was picked to be the face of Israel-based fashion chain Fox. The situation was smoothed over after she agreed to visit injured soldiers for the brand and encourage people to enlist in the army.

In 2010, the IDF also called on citizens to boycott items that were endorsed by celebrities who didn't serve in the military, Haaretz reports. Major General Avi Zamir told students at Herzliya simply that "Bar Refaeli shouldn't appear in ads. And if she does, then don’t buy the products. That's the answer."
But Refaeli isn't put off by the IDF's strong response to her pro-Israeli campaign. 

She responded by posting a picture to her Instagram asking President Barack Obama to free convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard with a message that translates in English to: "You can use the clip for the Foreign Ministry or drop it, but my Instagram feed has more readers than Israel’s most popular newspaper."

Ashdod teen impersonated Bar Refaeli's brother to obtain model's contact info

The youth, 17, told authorities that he saw Refaeli’s image on the hit reality show "X Factor" and wanted to meet her.

Bar Refaeli promotes the X Factor 370. (photo credit:Courtesy The X Factor Israel Facebook page)



Tel Aviv police arrested an Ashdod youth, 17, on Sunday for sending harassing text messages to Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli.

Authorities say the suspect managed to obtain Refaeli’s contact information by pretending to be her brother.

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He then sent Refaeli repeated text messages.

The youth told authorities that he saw Refaeli on the hit reality show X Factor and wanted to meet her.

He was released on the condition that he will not attempt to make any sort of contact with the complainant for 30 days, and was given a restraining order banning him from being within 500 meters of her house.

Earlier this year, the 27-year-old supermodel signed a contract with Reshet TV, rumored to be of around NIS 1 million, to host the Israeli version of the popular music contest, made famous in the UK by Simon Cowell and his unique brand of judging.

Refaeli is joined on the show’s panel by singers Ivri Lider, Moshe Peretz and Rami Fortis.

While the judges are all household names in Israel, host Refaeli is accustomed to making headlines abroad as well as in her homeland.

Back in February, the blonde bombshell featured in one of the most talked- about commercials of the 2013 Super Bowl, for Internet domain hosting company GoDaddy. The 30-second clip, entitled “Perfect Match,” featured Refaeli in an excruciatingly loud make-out session with a plump computer nerd, as an announcer explained that the company was a perfect combination of sexy and smart.

Refaeli came under fire in December of last year for posting a photo of herself dressed in a Santa suit on Instagram with the caption “Good Morning Santa.”

Twitter followers berated Refaeli for wearing a Santa suit, since she is Jewish, even telling her that she is “betraying Israel.”

While the model received a number of harshly worded messages condemning the picture, many of her Instagram followers came to her defense. “Part of her fans are Christians.

You can’t judge a person cause of his religion,” one follower wrote.

Bar Refaeli Takes a Roll in the Hay for Agent Provocateur

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The latest Agent Provocateur marketing campaign breaks this week featuring Bar Refaeli as a barn girl reclining seductively on piles of hay — and not looking like she rose at dawn to milk the cows.
Shot by Sebastian Faena in the countryside outside Paris, the campaign is meant to conjure a hot summer mood and a love of the great outdoors.

Inspired by films including “Paris Texas,” “Stealing Beauty,” “The Virgin Suicides” and “Last Tango in Paris,” it is also the brand’s first campaign shot on location outside.

According to creative director Sarah Shotton, the team was expecting sunny weather but got cloudy skies, rain and cold instead.

“There we were in our North Face puffer jackets, hoping for some sun,” said Shotton, adding that Refaeli, instead, was in AP underwear.

“Thank God for Bar — she was a really good sport, waiting in the stables until the sun came out. And she is really hot — you can’t look like that and feel the cold.”

Shotton added that she chose the model for her “film noir, feline quality,” and for the synergy she had with the collection and Agent Provocateur.

Refaeli wears some of the key looks of the spring season, including a black, high-cut bodysuit in stretch chiffon with a built-in bra and suspenders, and a cropped camisole top with inner support, and miniskirt that can be worn as lingerie, pajamas or clothing.

Shotton said she’s seeing a trend for women wanting their lingerie to multitask and to have a sporty element, too. “They also want to show off our lingerie and are looking for something that is out of the ordinary.”
The campaign will be used online, in-store and at AP points of sale.

The British company is on a growth trajectory, with sales in the year ended March 29 up 36.2 percent to 53.1 million pounds, or $86.6 million, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, rose by more than 50 percent to 9.6 million pounds, or $15.6 million.

Online sales were up 30 percent year-on-year, and international brick-and-mortar expansion continues to be a major focus.

Over the past seven years, Agent has expanded its offer to include a lower-priced line called L’Agent, which is designed by Penelope Cruz and her sister Mónica Cruz Sánchez.

The brand also has five fragrances with partners InterParfums.

Bar Refaeli probed for tax fraud, must get permission to leave the country

Gag order lifted on case of supermodel, who was questioned for 12 hours Wednesday; authorities allege she falsely claimed not to live in Israel, failed to report ‘tens of millions of shekels’ in benefits

Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli in Cannes in 2011. (Shutterstock)

Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli is being investigated for potential tax offenses, including allegedly trying to avoid tax by falsely claiming not to be living in Israel, Hebrew-language media reported on Thursday. The reports came after the lifting of a Wednesday gag order that had sent gossip-mongers into overdrive. 

Refaeli, who spent 12 hours in questioning at the Tax Authority offices in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, was initially said to be suspected of failing to report over NIS 1 million (some $250,000) in celebrity benefits. Later Thursday, however, reports said the allegations concerned “tens of millions” of shekels. She also allegedly sought to avoid tax by falsely claiming not to be living in Israel. 

Refaeli, who denies any criminal offense, has been required to get the authorities’ permission if she wishes to leave the country.

Refaeli is suspected of not reporting that she had someone else pay her rent at an apartment at the luxury W high-rises in Tel Aviv; underpaying an interior designer in exchange for helping him with advertising; and receiving a free car from a company, also in exchange for help with advertising, according to news site Ynet.

Refaeli’s mother was also reported to be involved in the case.

The model, whose scads of campaigns for various companies has made her one of Israel’s most recognizable faces on the world stage, is also a mainstay of celebrity websites and gossip rags in Israel and the US.

But her career and jet-setting lifestyle may be cramped by the investigation.

The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court determined Thursday that Refaeli can leave Israel only in coordination with authorities and after depositing a sum of NIS 250,000. A third party would also have to put up a guarantee of NIS 500,000, Ynet reported.

Earlier Thursday, while the supermodel’s name was still under gag order, some Hebrew-language news sites tried to circumvent it by providing hints for observant readers.

An article on news site Bizportal, captured and posted on Facebook, featured a top-down acrostic of Refaeli’s name in Hebrew.

News site Walla, while not giving Refaeli’s name in its article, nevertheless tagged the supermodel in publishing the piece.

Giora Aderet, Refaeli’s attorney, denied the suspicions against the supermodel and her mother.

“There is no drama. In the end, this is just a civil dispute. No one cheated anyone else. It will all clear up soon,” Aderet told the NRG news site.

Bar Refaeli Stars in Racy Rampage Spring 2010 Campaign

Photo Courtesy of Rampage.

Refaeli posed poolside in a bikini.Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli stars in the sexy new Spring 2010 ad campaign for popular sportswear brand Rampage. Refaeli began representing the brand last year, when she replaced Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen (with whom Refaeli shares an ex-boyfriend, actor Leonardo DiCaprio).

The ads were shot in Paris Hilton's former home in Los Angeles by fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon. 

Model Bar Refaeli poses for a new ad campaign for Rampage. (Bauer Griffin)more pics »

Model Bar Refaeli poses for a new ad campaign for Rampage. (Bauer Griffin)more pics »

Model Bar Refaeli poses for a new ad campaign for Rampage. (Bauer Griffin)more pics »

Bar Refaeli Stars in Racy Passionata Lingerie Campaign With Fluffy Cat

Photos courtesy of Passionata.


Bar makes a great lingerie model.Fans of Israeli model Bar Rafaeli are undoubtedly thrilled to see her latest campaign: a racy set of shots for French lingerie brand Passionata.

Rafaeli gave photographer Greg Kadel her best pinup girl poses in a series of setups. In some shots, Bar poses with a dressmaker's dummy, while in others unblocked school, she gets cuddly with a fluffy white cat. The cat doesn't look so thrilled to be thisclose to a major supermodel.

Earlier this year, an Israeli army general called for a boycott of all brands Bar represents after he discovered she was registered as a non-resident in Israel unblocked games online, thereby paying fewer taxes. It doesn't look like the boycott has affected Bar's ability to get work, however.

Is Four Images Of Bar Refaeli Per Day Enough For The Home Page?

Pardon me, Mr. Home Page Editor? It’s Oded, Oded Shahar – I just started as an intern here last week, and, well – I just need to know as a general rule, is four images of Bar Refaeli enough for one day’s material on the home page?

I’m asking, obviously, because I’m new here, and I haven’t learned what sort of balance you go for in terms of news vs. lighter stuff and general human interest. I know you always maintain a certain minimum threshold of supermodels, actresses, or celebrities in bikinis as one of the featured items, so I’m trying to get a handle on the way that’s done. Do you want them rotated throughout the day, but keeping the same article and headline, or do we mix it up a bit? I’m asking today because while we have some good shots of her in various states of undress, there’s also the story of her upcoming wedding, and I need to know how to weigh this: do we maintain the same number of bikini shots on the home page – both in that featured item section and lower down in the celebrity gossip news – or do we count the wedding preparation articles and photos as part of the total? I’m new at this.

It’s not a technical problem, though, sir, I guarantee – I have the coding skills necessary for this. I just need guidelines on the content itself. For the regular news that’s not a big deal: just put in the headline and link to the article ion our database. As big news breaks, we change the headline and the link. But with this Bar Refaeli thing, there’s no actual news value – only an attempt to attract eyeballs with a famous beautiful woman in suggestive poses. Is there a rule for how long to leave a given image in place? And what is the proper ratio of Bar Refaeli to other half-naked female celebrities?

Gal Gadot and Adi Himmelbloi will always do in a pinch, but quantity isn’t a problem. I know if Gadot had another Wonder Woman movie coming out soon we’d be shunting Refaeli aside more, and whenever there’s anything to say about Eyal Golan we have to find a way to get some images of his wife Ruslana onto the home page. That much I gathered already. I guess what I’m asking is, how much of an all-Bar-Refaeli-all-the-time home page is this, really? Are we aiming for more or fewer images of Bar than on her own site?

OK, I’ll get back to you on how many we have for tomorrow. Apparently the Fitness Fluff Editor wants some bikini photos for a series on low-sodium diets.