Israel Matzav

Dan Shapiro to be named US ambassador to Israel

President Barack Obama intends to nominate one of his most trusted Middle East aides, the National Security Council’s Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa Dan Shapiro, to be his ambassador to Israel, administration officials said.

Shapiro has earned Obama's trust as a Middle East and Jewish outreach advisor going back to the campaign, and one who uniquely seems to get along well with everyone else. Shapiro has worked closely with all the key inter-agency players including National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough, the NSC’s top Iran and regional strategist Dennis Ross, as well as Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell, and has a good rapport with Congress, where he previously served as a staffer. Shapiro also has good ties with the Jewish community, having served as a key White House point of contact for the Jewish community, and helped head up Jewish outreach for the Obama campaign.

Shapiro, who speaks fluent Hebrew, also has a good relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and wide contacts in Israel and the region, and has accompanied Mitchell on countless shuttle diplomacy trips to the region.

While one former U.S. Middle East hand wondered if there might be quiet grumbling that career Foreign Service diplomats were being passed over in favor of a political appointee for the key post, an official noted that sort of critique was usually leveled at donors, and that tapping a policy veteran and regional expert with such close ties to the President would be seen as an elevation of the post.

"Dan Shapiro is an excellent choice to be the next US Ambassador to Israel," said William Daroff, vice president and Washington director of the Jewish Federations of North America, stressing that he can't confirm the appointment. "He is someone who knows Israel very well, has deep roots in the American Jewish community, and has developed a very close working relationship with the prinicpal players in the region. He also has literally been engaged in every aspect of the Obama Administration's Middle East policy since before the President took the Oath of Office. His personal relationship with the President, the Secretary of State, Special Envoy George Mitchell, and Dennis Ross are such that he has great bonafides to represent the United States in Israel."

"Beyond that, Dan is a real mensch, who will continue to serve America incredibly well," Daroff added.

Shapiro did not respond to a query from POLITICO on his expected nomination.

Labels: Barack Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Dan Shapiro, US ambassador to Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:18 AM