Dan Shapiro | |
|---|---|
 Shapiro in 2023 | |
| United States Ambassador to Israel | |
| In office August 8, 2011 – January 20, 2017 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | James Cunningham |
| Succeeded by | David M. Friedman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Daniel Benjamin Shapiro (1969-08-01)August 1, 1969 (age 55) Champaign, Illinois, U.S. |
| Spouse | Julie Fisher |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Washington University in St. Louis Brandeis University(BA) Harvard University(MA) |
| Website | Official website |
Daniel Benjamin "Dan"Shapiro[1] (born August 1, 1969) is an Americandiplomat who served asUnited States Ambassador to Israel from 2011 to 2017. He was nominated by PresidentBarack Obama on March 29, 2011, andconfirmed by the Senate on May 29.[2][3] He wassworn in as ambassador by Secretary of StateHillary Clinton on July 8, 2011.[4]Previously, he was the senior director for theMiddle East andNorth Africa on theUnited States National Security Council. As anObama administration political appointee, Shapiro was ordered on January 5, 2017, to resign upon theinauguration of PresidentDonald Trump.[5] On August 30, 2021, PresidentJoe Biden appointed Shapiro as a special liaison to Israel on Iran.[6]
Dan Shapiro was born to aJewish family inChampaign, Illinois, one of four children of novelist Elizabeth Klein Shapiro andUniversity of Illinois English professor emeritus Michael Shapiro. He went to Westview Elementary and Edison Middle school in Champaign, and graduated from theUniversity Laboratory High School in 1986.[7] He first enteredWashington University in St. Louis, spending hissophomore year in Israel, and then transferred toBrandeis University,[8] where he obtained abachelor's degree in 1991 in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies.[9] Two years later he earned amaster's degree in Middle Eastern Politics fromHarvard University.[10]
Shapiro speaks bothHebrew andArabic.[11]
Shapiro is married to Julie Fisher. The couple has three daughters. They are members of theConservative JewishAdas Israel Congregation in Washington.[12]
From 1993 to 1995, Shapiro served as a professional staff member on theHouse Foreign Affairs Committee under ChairmanLee H. Hamilton. From 1995 to 1999, he was a legislative assistant and senior foreign policy adviser to SenatorDianne Feinstein. From 1999 to 2001, he sat on theNational Security Council under PresidentBill Clinton, as director of legislative affairs, and as a Congressional liaison forNational Security AdviserSandy Berger. From 2001 to 2007, he was first legislative adviser and then deputy chief of staff (primarily on foreign policy issues) for U.S. SenatorBill Nelson. From 2007 to 2008, he was vice president of the Washington, D.C., lobbying firmTimmons & Company.[13]
Shapiro had served as an advisor to then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama on Middle East andJewish community issues since 2007, also assisting as strategist and fundraiser.[14] He accompanied Obama on his July 2008 trip to Israel; in August 2008, Obama appointed him senior policy adviser and Jewish outreach coordinator for his2008 presidential campaign.[15]
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In January 2009, Shapiro was appointed senior director for the Middle East and North Africa of theU.S. National Security Council. Focusing on Israel, he attended every Israel-related meeting, and met with every senior Israeli diplomat and military officer who visitedWashington, D.C. Shapiro often accompanied U.S.Special Envoy for Middle East PeaceGeorge J. Mitchell on his trips to the region, and played a central role in talks regarding the Middle East Peace Process and the strengthening of military cooperation between the U.S. and Israel. He maintained close relations withBenyamin Netanyahu, in spite of tensions between the Israeli prime minister and President Obama.[16] In June 2011, he was appointed Ambassador to Israel. Shapiro took leave of thePresident of Israel,Reuven Rivlin, on January 17, 2017 before holding his final meeting with Netanyahu two days later, which one newspaper described as a "terse farewell."[17]
After concluding his service as ambassador to Israel, Shapiro became a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at theInstitute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University.[18][19] He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East from January 2024 to January 2025.[20] Shapiro is currently a principal atWestExec Advisors.[21]
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | United States Ambassador to Israel 2011–2017 | Succeeded by |
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