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Ambassador Daniel B. Shapiro

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  • U.S. Ambassador to Israel (2011-2017)
  • Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy (2024-2025)
  • Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Tel Aviv University’s Institute of National Security Studies (2017-2021)
  • Contributor to Foreign Policy, The Atlantic, Washington Post, CNN, & More

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Ambassador Daniel B. Shapiro is a distinguished diplomat and foreign policy expert with over two decades of experience in senior U.S. government positions. Most recently, he was the top Middle East policy official at the Pentagon, serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, where he coordinated the Department of Defense's response to the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks and the multi-front war that followed. 

Shapiro served as U.S. Ambassador to Israel for over five years during the Obama Administration. Under President Biden, prior to joining the Pentagon, he was the U.S. State Department's Senior Adviser on Middle East Regional Integration, the first senior official dedicated to expanding the Abraham Accords. His government tenure has also included two tours of service on the National Security Council. 

In addition to his government service, Ambassador Shapiro served as a Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council, where he spearheaded the N7 Initiative focused on regional integration and as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. He has spoken to groups such as AIPAC, Tablet Magazine, UC Berkley, and more. A sought-after speaker and media commentator, Ambassador Shapiro engages global audiences on critical issues concerning U.S. foreign policy and the Middle East.

 


Ambassador Daniel B. Shapiro headshot
Past Hosts Include:
  • Tablet Magazine
  • University of California, Berkley
  • Jewish Funders Network
  • Foundation for the Defense of Democracies
  • AIPAC
  • Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
  • Brandeis University
  • Columbia University Hillel
  • American University
  • Jewish Federations of North America
Rave Reviews About Ambassador Daniel B. Shapiro
“
We had an extraordinary experience with Ambassador Shapiro, from start to finish!...Ambassador Shapiro was professional, gracious, and engaged throughout. He was...masterful at drawing intersections between the work he was charged to do as an Ambassador in Israel to the work that the Federation does every day here in the United States and in Israel....We’ve also received extremely favorable feedback from the program attendees – they appreciated the diplomatic, balanced, and genuine way in which he framed his remarks. While some may not have agreed with his views, they were all able to appreciate and respect his knowledge, expertise, and respectful framing of the issues.

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More rave reviews

"It really was a wonderful event. Ambassador Shapiro was informative and engaging, and also went out of his way to meet our donors and take pictures with leadership. We are very pleased."

-UJA-Federation of New York

"Wanted to let you know that Dan Shapiro was wonderful last night. I think people loved him. I certainly did. I would use him again in a heartbeat. Everything was perfect. He has family in Chicago and grew up in a town outside of Chicago so we had a lot of friends there. But whether people knew him beforehand or not, he was a huge hit. He spoke about difficult issues in a wonderful way. Very easy to understand why he has been a successful diplomat."

-Jewish United Fund

"Everything went really well. He was incredibly well received and the content was incredibly thorough. Thanks for all your help in the planning."

-Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

"His speech was very well received. Dan was open, honest and gracious with our community members at both receptions and in every interaction. Moving forward, we will highly recommend him to other Federations without any reservation."

-Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte

"The events went really well, thank you."

-Jewish National Fund of Australia Inc.

"The fact that … [U.S.-Israel] bilateral relations and cooperation grew in strength despite some severe arguments is largely thanks to you. Best I can tell, you have been the best Ambassador that Israel ever had, and both the Israeli and the American people owe you a great debt of gratitude."

-Israel's Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources, Yuval Steinitz

"Ambassador Shapiro was, in short, terrific! He was personable, engaging, smart, entertained questions with ease, and thoroughly -- and made a terrific team with the Deputy Director of Magen David Adom who joined us from Israel."

-American Friends of Magen David Adom

"Last night’s event went fabulously—indeed, Ambassador’s whole visit was really exceptional. He was so generous with his time and I can’t tell you how much we, and our students, appreciated it. There were some really productive and engaging conversations and I know the audience got a lot out of Amb. Shapiro’s insights. He’s such a kind, thoughtful person and I’m delighted we could host him."

-Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University
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Daniel Shapiro speaks for Sixth Plenary Session: Defence Challenges in a Complex World | The International Institute for Strategic Studies - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Ambassador Daniel B. Shapiro
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The Future of the Middle East: Opportunities in an Expanding Era

With the potential expansion of the Abraham Accords and normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia on the horizon, the Middle East is poised for a paradigm shift—one ripe with opportunity for forward-thinking business leaders. AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel and a key ...

With the potential expansion of the Abraham Accords and normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia on the horizon, the Middle East is poised for a paradigm shift—one ripe with opportunity for forward-thinking business leaders. AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel and a key architect of Middle East diplomacy, offers an insider’s perspective on what this evolving landscape means for global markets. In this engaging session, Ambassador Shapiro breaks down how new alliances, economic collaborations, and open markets can translate into tangible business opportunities. He provides actionable insights on sectors primed for growth, from technology and infrastructure to energy and tourism, and shares strategies to navigate this new era of stability and cooperation. Learn how to position your business at the forefront of a historic shift—and capitalize on the promise of a more interconnected, prosperous Middle East.

The U.S. Response to October 7

AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO was at the center of the U.S. government's response to the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023. He will describe the unprecedented U.S. military support for Israel's war against Hamas; the challenging discussions over humanitarian aid, hostage negotiat ...

AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO was at the center of the U.S. government's response to the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023. He will describe the unprecedented U.S. military support for Israel's war against Hamas; the challenging discussions over humanitarian aid, hostage negotiations, and planning for the day after; the U.S.-led defense of Israel against Iranian attacks on April 13, 2024; Israeli actions to dismantle Hizballah; the U.S. campaign against the Houthis; and U.S. support for Israel's retaliatory attack on Iran. The sum total of these events was a dramatic weakening of Iran and its proxies—the so-called Axis of Resistance—which was a major joint U.S.-Israeli accomplishment.

The Secret Sauce of Middle East Regional Integration

AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO describes his relentless pursuit of Middle East regional integration as the focus of his work since the signing of the Abraham Accords, through leading the N7 Initiative at the Atlantic Council to convene experts from Israel and Arab countries around joint projects in educ ...

AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO describes his relentless pursuit of Middle East regional integration as the focus of his work since the signing of the Abraham Accords, through leading the N7 Initiative at the Atlantic Council to convene experts from Israel and Arab countries around joint projects in education, water, agriculture, and commerce; heading the State Department's efforts to expand the Negev Forum and encourage additional countries to normalize relations with Israel; and moving to the Pentagon, where he coordinated major advances in Middle East security integration, including during Iran's attack on Israel on April 13, 2024. As a leading proponent of a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Shapiro recounts the negotiations that have approached that goal, the steps still ahead to achieve it, and the integrated future of the Middle East it can help unleash.

U.S.-Israel Relations: Obama, Trump, & Biden Administrations

AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO lived in Israel for 12 years from 2011 to 2023—half of that time as U.S. Ambassador, half as a private U.S. expat. He was at the center of two administrations' conduct of relations with Israel and has watched the Trump Administrations up close from Tel Aviv and Washington. ...

AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO lived in Israel for 12 years from 2011 to 2023—half of that time as U.S. Ambassador, half as a private U.S. expat. He was at the center of two administrations' conduct of relations with Israel and has watched the Trump Administrations up close from Tel Aviv and Washington. He recounts the dramatic examples of cooperation—from the funding of Iron Dome and the signing of a $38B military assistance package, to the move of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and the signing of the Abraham Accords, to the dramatic U.S. support for Israel after the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks. He also examines key points of friction, from the Iran nuclear deal and Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, to the removal of U.S. troops from Syria and disagreements over operations in Gaza. Ambassador Shapiro explains how, through these ups and downs, the U.S.-Israel relationship remains essential to the interests of both countries and durable enough to grow stronger over time.

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Ambassador Daniel Shapiro Receives Rave Reviews

A sought-after speaker and media commentator, AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO engages global audiences on critical issues concerning U.S. foreign policy and the Middle East.

  • Tufts University: "Last night’s event went fabulously—indeed, Ambassador’s whole visit was really exceptional... There were some really productive and engaging conversation."
  • Jewish United Fund: "Whether people knew him beforehand or not, he was a huge hit. He spoke about difficult issues in a wonderful way. Very easy to understand why he has been a successful diplomat."
  • UJA-Federation of New York: "It really was a wonderful event. Ambassador Shapiro was informative and engaging, and also went out of his way to meet our donors and take pictures with leadership. We are very pleased."

Watch Ambassador Daniel Shapiro's keynote at the Israeli Policy Forum >>

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Press & Media
Trump to meet with Netanyahu, says Gaza ceasefire deal will be reached this week [video] - MSNBC
Former U.S. ambassador to Israel examines Trump-Netanyahu meeting [video] - CBS News
We Can’t Let History Blind Us to Our Options on Iran - The Bulwark
Former U.S ambassador to Israel discusses U.S. bombing of Iran - NPR
Former US Ambassador to Israel Says Ceasefire ‘Shaky’ [video] - Bloomberg
Former U.S. ambassador to Israel says Israel-Iran ceasefire has good chance of holding [video] - CBS News
Dan Shapiro: ‘These strikes lay bare the depth of Iran’s miscalculation following Oct. 7’ - Jewish Insider
VIDEO: Can Israel really stop Iran's nuclear plans? - ABC Australia
Israel Races to Reshape the Middle East With Few Checks - Wall Street Journal
With No Clear Off-Ramp, Israel’s War With Iran May Last Weeks, Not Days - The New York Times
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Biography

Ambassador Daniel B. Shapiro is a distinguished diplomat and foreign policy expert with over two decades of experience in senior U.S. government positions. Most recently, he was the top Middle East policy official at the Pentagon, serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, where he coordinated the Department of Defense's response to the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks and the multi-front war that followed. 

Shapiro served as U.S. Ambassador to Israel for over five years during the Obama Administration. Under President Biden, prior to joining the Pentagon, he was the U.S. State Department's Senior Adviser on Middle East Regional Integration, the first senior official dedicated to expanding the Abraham Accords. His government tenure has also included two tours of service on the National Security Council as Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa, and earlier, as Director for Legislative Affairs.

He previously served in senior advisory positions to U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, and on the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East.

In addition to his government service, Shapiro served as a Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council, where he spearheaded the N7 Initiative focused on regional integration and as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. He has also taught as an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. A sought-after speaker and media commentator, he engages global audiences on critical issues concerning U.S. foreign policy and the Middle East.

A graduate of Brandeis University, he holds a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University. He speaks Hebrew and some Arabic.

 

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