Matthew Gould
Encyclopedia
Matthew Steven Gould MBE
(born 20 August 1971) is the current British Ambassador to Israel
.
Gould grew up in Wembley
, and was educated at St Paul's School where he was a contemporary of George Osborne
, and at Peterhouse, Cambridge
, where he read philosophy and divinity. After graduating he spent a year in Zimbabwe, before starting his career.
from 1994 to 1997; as speechwriter
to the Foreign Secretary from 1997 to 1999; and then as Deputy Head of the Consular Division until 2001. From 2002 to 2003 he was Political Counsellor
in Islamabad
; from 2003 to 2005 Deputy Head of Mission in Tehran
; from 2005 to 2007 Foreign and Security Policy Counsellor in Washington DC; from April to July 2007 he was Private Secretary
for Foreign Affairs to the Prime Minister
; then he was Principal Private Secretary
to the Foreign Secretary until 2010. He took up his present posting in Tel Aviv
in September 2010.
He is the first Jew
to hold his current post.
for the arrest by British authorities in Palestine of her parents, Eitan Livni
and Sara Rosenberg. Eitan Livni was imprisoned for his part in the Night of the Trains
, an operation to sabotage railways in which seven people were killed. Sara Rosenberg took part in a train robbery. It is unclear whether Gould was authorised to make such an apology.
He was implicated in the Liam Fox
-Adam Werritty
affair, when the O'Donnell
report stated he had held two meetings with Fox and Werritty. Research by Craig Murray
later showed that there had in fact been six such meetings.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(born 20 August 1971) is the current British Ambassador to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Early life
Gould is descended from Polish Jews who immigrated to the UK. His father, who was born Sid Goldkorn, changed the family name to Gould.Gould grew up in Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
, and was educated at St Paul's School where he was a contemporary of George Osborne
George Osborne
George Gideon Oliver Osborne, MP is a British Conservative politician. He is the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, a role to which he was appointed in May 2010, and has been the Member of Parliament for Tatton since 2001.Osborne is part of the old Anglo-Irish aristocracy, known in...
, and at Peterhouse, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, where he read philosophy and divinity. After graduating he spent a year in Zimbabwe, before starting his career.
Career
After joining the Foreign Office in 1993, Gould served as Assistant Desk Officer (NATO/Bosnia), Security Policy Department until 1994; as Second Secretary in ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
from 1994 to 1997; as speechwriter
Speechwriter
A speechwriter is a person who is hired to prepare and write speeches that will be delivered by another person. Speechwriters are used by many senior-level elected officials and executives in the government and private sectors.-Skills and training:...
to the Foreign Secretary from 1997 to 1999; and then as Deputy Head of the Consular Division until 2001. From 2002 to 2003 he was Political Counsellor
Diplomatic rank
Diplomatic rank is the system of professional and social rank used in the world of diplomacy and international relations. Over time it has been formalized on an international basis.-Ranks:...
in Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
; from 2003 to 2005 Deputy Head of Mission in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
; from 2005 to 2007 Foreign and Security Policy Counsellor in Washington DC; from April to July 2007 he was Private Secretary
Private Secretary
In the United Kingdom government, a Private Secretary is a civil servant in a Department or Ministry, responsible to the Secretary of State or Minister...
for Foreign Affairs to the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
; then he was Principal Private Secretary
Principal Private Secretary
In the British Civil Service and Australian Public Service the Principal Private Secretary is the civil servant who runs a cabinet minister's private office...
to the Foreign Secretary until 2010. He took up his present posting in Tel Aviv
Tel 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 September 2010.
He is the first Jew
British Jews
British Jews are Jews who live in, or are citizens of, the United Kingdom. In the 2001 Census, 266,740 people listed their religion as Jewish. The UK is home to the second largest Jewish population in Europe, and has the fifth largest Jewish community worldwide...
to hold his current post.
Controversies
Gould is reported to have said that he apologised to Israeli opposition leader Tzipi LivniTzipi Livni
Tzipporah Malkah "Tzipi" Livni is an Israeli lawyer and politician. She is the current Israeli Opposition Leader and leader of Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset. Raised an ardent nationalist, Livni has become one of her nation's leading voices for the two-state solution. In Israel she has...
for the arrest by British authorities in Palestine of her parents, Eitan Livni
Eitan Livni
Yeruham "Eitan" Livni was a Revisionist Zionist activist, Irgun commander and Israeli politician, father of Israeli politician Tzipi Livni, who is the current leader of the largest party in the Knesset, Kadima.-Biography:...
and Sara Rosenberg. Eitan Livni was imprisoned for his part in the Night of the Trains
Night of the Trains
The Night of the Trains was a sabotage operation of the British railroads in Palestine on November 1, 1945...
, an operation to sabotage railways in which seven people were killed. Sara Rosenberg took part in a train robbery. It is unclear whether Gould was authorised to make such an apology.
He was implicated in the Liam Fox
Liam Fox
Liam Fox MP is a British Conservative politician, Member of Parliament for North Somerset, and former Secretary of State for Defence....
-Adam Werritty
Adam Werritty
Adam Werritty is a Scottish businessman. Werritty is a close friend of the former UK Secretary of State for Defence Liam Fox: he resided for a period in 2002 and 2003 at Fox's London apartment and was best man at his wedding in 2005. The two were also business associates who once held joint...
affair, when the O'Donnell
Gus O'Donnell
Sir Augustine Thomas "Gus" O'Donnell GCB is a British civil servant, who is the current Cabinet Secretary, the highest rank in the British Civil Service. He is consequently, under current practice, Head of the Civil Service, which means he has authority over all civil servants except those who are...
report stated he had held two meetings with Fox and Werritty. Research by Craig Murray
Craig Murray
Craig John Murray is a British political activist, former ambassador to Uzbekistan and former Rector of the University of Dundee....
later showed that there had in fact been six such meetings.
External links
- Our Ambassador - British Embassy, Israel