Serving in the Obama Administration for eight years, Ambassador Daniel Shapiro— heralded as "a pioneer of public diplomacy" and highly sought-after for his shrewd insights into regional affairs— won praise from leaders of both the U.S. and Israel for his deft management of bilateral relations during a period marked by challenges.
As Ambassador to Israel from July 2011 until the end of the Obama Administration, Shapiro skillfully navigated U.S.-Israel relations during Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, the Iran nuclear agreement, regional instability, and periods of significant bilateral tension and disagreement. A fluent Hebrew speaker, his time as Ambassador was marked by seamlessly combining his tremendous knowledge and experience with unprecedented levels of engagement with Israel's diverse communities. As one article put it, Shapiro "won over Israelis across the political spectrum through determined outreach and his demonstrable concern and care for the Jewish state." Among Ambassador Shapiro's other accomplishments were negotiating the $38 billion Memorandum of Understanding for U.S. military aid to Israel and 40% growth in U.S.-Israel trade.
|