Daniel Ayalon
Encyclopedia
Daniel "Danny" Ayalon is an Israeli politician who currently serves as Deputy Foreign Minister and as a member of the Knesset
for Yisrael Beiteinu. He is a former Israeli Ambassador to the United States, serving from 2002 until 2006.
in 1955 to Rafael Ayalon, an Algerian Jewish refugee, and Lily Sigalov, a Polish Jewish refugee who immigrated to Israel in 1937. He was raised and educated in Tel Aviv, and was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces
where he rose to the rank of captain in the Armored Corps.
and an MBA from Bowling Green University in Ohio
. Ayalon took up a position a senior finance executive in Koor Industries, Israel's leading international trading company.
. Before taking on this responsibility, Ayalon had served as Deputy Foreign Policy Adviser to two previous Prime Ministers, and as Chief Foreign Policy Advisor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, during which time he was a member of the Israeli delegations to the Sharm El-Sheikh (1997), Wye Plantation
(1998) and Camp David
(2000) summits. He served in New York from 1993–1997 as the Director of the Bureau of Israel's Ambassador to the UN and as Deputy Chief of Mission in Panama
from 1991–1992. Before his entrance into Israel's Foreign Service, Ayalon was a senior finance executive in Koor Industries, Israel's leading international trading company.
Ayalon was a strong defender of Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
, which withdrew all Israeli settlement
s from the Gaza Strip
. He also played a leading role in the negotiations for the Road map for peace
including the exchange of letters on 14 April 2004 between President Bush and Prime Minister Sharon.
Since 2007, Ayalon has served as the co-chairman of Nefesh B'Nefesh
, an organization that encourages aliyah
by Jewish people to Israel
from North America and other English-speaking areas.
In August 2008, he joined Yisrael Beiteinu and was placed seventh on the party's list for the 2009 elections
. He entered the Knesset after the party won 15 seats, and was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister in the new government of Binyamin Netanyahu
In December 2009, he led high-level diplomatic discussions with the Holy See
concerning Church properties and taxes, but the negotiations failed to come up with any significant result.
The following month, he caused a diplomatic incident, after summoning the Turkish ambassador, Ahmet Oğuz Çelikkol, to complain about a Turkish television series, Kurtlar Vadisi Pusu, which showed Mossad
agents snatching a baby to convert to Judaism. Ayalon also invited media to the meeting, where he refused to shake the ambassador's hand, told journalists to note the fact that the Turkish ambassador was seated on a lower chair, (one newspaper called it the "height of humiliation") that they were not smiling, and that there was only an Israeli flag present. Although Ayalon later apologized to Çelikkol, Yisrael Beiteinu officials said that Ayalon was "finished politically".
In February 2011, Ayalon made a public appeal to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay to cancel his plans on visiting Iran. Ayalon stated that the visit by the UN Commissioner would legitimize a regime that "maliciously violates human rights, executes its citizens and openly calls for genocide." ".
Israel Deputy Foreign Minister Ayalon has an extremely successful record in social media with tens of thousands of followers across the globe. He has consistently been recognized as one of the leading politicians globally utilizing social media by Foreign Policy and Dimpool, a web-based diplomatic analysis center.
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
for Yisrael Beiteinu. He is a former Israeli Ambassador to the United States, serving from 2002 until 2006.
Early life
Danny Ayalon was born in Tel AvivTel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
in 1955 to Rafael Ayalon, an Algerian Jewish refugee, and Lily Sigalov, a Polish Jewish refugee who immigrated to Israel in 1937. He was raised and educated in Tel Aviv, and was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
where he rose to the rank of captain in the Armored Corps.
Education and work
He received a BA in economics from Tel Aviv UniversityTel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
and an MBA from Bowling Green University in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Ayalon took up a position a senior finance executive in Koor Industries, Israel's leading international trading company.
Diplomatic career
He was appointed ambassador to the United States in 2002 by Prime Minister Ariel SharonAriel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
. Before taking on this responsibility, Ayalon had served as Deputy Foreign Policy Adviser to two previous Prime Ministers, and as Chief Foreign Policy Advisor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, during which time he was a member of the Israeli delegations to the Sharm El-Sheikh (1997), Wye Plantation
Wye River Memorandum
The Wye River Memorandum was an agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestine Authority to implement the earlier Interim Agreement of 28 September, 1995...
(1998) and Camp David
Camp David 2000 Summit
The Middle East Peace Summit at Camp David of July 2000 took place between United States President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat...
(2000) summits. He served in New York from 1993–1997 as the Director of the Bureau of Israel's Ambassador to the UN and as Deputy Chief of Mission in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
from 1991–1992. Before his entrance into Israel's Foreign Service, Ayalon was a senior finance executive in Koor Industries, Israel's leading international trading company.
Ayalon was a strong defender of Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan , also known as the "Disengagement plan", "Gaza expulsion plan", and "Hitnatkut", was a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, adopted by the government on June 6, 2004 and enacted in August 2005, to evict all Israelis from the Gaza Strip and from...
, which withdrew all Israeli settlement
Israeli settlement
An Israeli settlement is a Jewish civilian community built on land that was captured by Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered occupied territory by the international community. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank...
s from the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. He also played a leading role in the negotiations for the Road map for peace
Road map for peace
The roadmap for peace or "road map" for peace is a plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by a "quartet" of international entities: the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations. The principles of the plan, originally drafted by U.S. Foreign Service...
including the exchange of letters on 14 April 2004 between President Bush and Prime Minister Sharon.
Since 2007, Ayalon has served as the co-chairman of Nefesh B'Nefesh
Nefesh B'Nefesh
Nefesh B'Nefesh is an organization that encourages immigration by Jewish people to Israel from North America and the United Kingdom...
, an organization that encourages aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
by Jewish people to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
from North America and other English-speaking areas.
In August 2008, he joined Yisrael Beiteinu and was placed seventh on the party's list for the 2009 elections
Israeli legislative election, 2009
Elections for the 18th Knesset were held in Israel on 10 February 2009. These elections became necessary due to the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as leader of the Kadima party, and the failure of his successor, Tzipi Livni, to form a coalition government...
. He entered the Knesset after the party won 15 seats, and was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister in the new government of Binyamin Netanyahu
In December 2009, he led high-level diplomatic discussions with the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
concerning Church properties and taxes, but the negotiations failed to come up with any significant result.
The following month, he caused a diplomatic incident, after summoning the Turkish ambassador, Ahmet Oğuz Çelikkol, to complain about a Turkish television series, Kurtlar Vadisi Pusu, which showed Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
agents snatching a baby to convert to Judaism. Ayalon also invited media to the meeting, where he refused to shake the ambassador's hand, told journalists to note the fact that the Turkish ambassador was seated on a lower chair, (one newspaper called it the "height of humiliation") that they were not smiling, and that there was only an Israeli flag present. Although Ayalon later apologized to Çelikkol, Yisrael Beiteinu officials said that Ayalon was "finished politically".
In February 2011, Ayalon made a public appeal to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay to cancel his plans on visiting Iran. Ayalon stated that the visit by the UN Commissioner would legitimize a regime that "maliciously violates human rights, executes its citizens and openly calls for genocide." ".
Israel Deputy Foreign Minister Ayalon has an extremely successful record in social media with tens of thousands of followers across the globe. He has consistently been recognized as one of the leading politicians globally utilizing social media by Foreign Policy and Dimpool, a web-based diplomatic analysis center.