Daniel Kurtzer, a former U.S. ambassador who played a key role in the formation of U.S. policy toward the Arab-Israeli conflict during the 1990s and 2000s, will share his insight with the Colgate community during a public lecture at 4:15 p.m., Sept. 28, in Golden Auditorium.
Drawing from his experience as a prominent diplomat, Kurtzer will provide an assessment of the conflict and the future of U.S. policy in the Middle East.
“Ambassador Kurtzer has extensive knowledge of the politics of both Israel and Egypt, as well as first-hand experience as a senior policy maker in the State Department. He provides a very well-informed insider’s perspective on U.S. policy in the region,” said Bruce Rutherford, associate professor of political science and Middle Eastern and Islamic civilization studies.
“We are fortunate to have a scholar and practitioner of his stature visit campus,” Rutherford added, “particularly at a moment when negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians have resumed and the U.S. has set the goal of achieving a meaningful agreement between the two sides within the next year.”
Kurtzer, professor of Middle Eastern policy studies at Princeton University, recently directed a project for the United States Institute of Peace on U.S. negotiating experience in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Before joining Princeton’s faculty, Kurtzer served as U.S. ambassador to Israel (2001-2005) and Egypt (1997-2001). He retired from the U.S. Foreign Service in 2005 with the rank of career-minister.
During 29 years of public service, he held a number of senior policy and diplomatic positions, including deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research, and political officer at the American embassies in Cairo and Tel Aviv.