{"record":{"aliases":[],"appointmentIds":["israel-a635357f81b5c5"],"appointmentsDataset":"https://chanceries.org/diplomats.json","archivalSources":[],"canonicalUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/michael-herzog-23988d3563/","countrySlug":"israel","entityId":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/michael-herzog-23988d3563/#person","eventIds":[],"expandedParagraphs":["Michael Herzog's diplomatic work grew out of a long military and negotiating career. An infantry soldier in the 1973 war, he subsequently served in intelligence and led the Israel Defense Forces' Strategic Planning Division. He became military secretary and later chief of staff to defense ministers from different parties. From 1993 onward, he participated in negotiations with the Palestinians, Jordanians, and Syrians, including the Wye, Camp David, Taba, and Annapolis talks.","Appointed ambassador by the Bennett–Lapid government in 2021, Herzog remained after Netanyahu returned to office. He helped prepare Biden's 2022 visit to Israel and worked on developing the Abraham Accords. The judicial overhaul dispute and the war following the October 7 attack transformed his assignment. In a retrospective interview, he described daily contacts with the White House and State Department, including regular meetings with senior national security officials.","Herzog said that he initiated discussions over Israel's planned Rafah offensive to turn a confrontation into negotiations about humanitarian safeguards and military plans. After leaving office in January 2025, he also criticized aspects of Netanyahu's wartime decisions and urged continued investment in bipartisan American support. He returned to the Washington Institute as its Tisch Distinguished Fellow, building on earlier research appointments there and his studies of Israeli security and peace negotiations."],"id":"israel:michael-herzog","identifiers":{},"legacyPersonIds":[],"legacyUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplomat-23988d3563463c6848dd.html","name":"Michael Herzog","notes":[],"paragraphSources":[["herzog-winep"],["herzog-interview"],["herzog-interview","herzog-winep"]],"profileUrl":"diplomat-23988d3563463c6848dd.html","relatedEvents":[],"relatedPeople":[],"relationships":[],"researchStatus":"reviewed","reviewedOn":"2026-10-28","revision":"622c037c1486df33","sources":[{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":null,"id":"herzog-winep","locator":"Career and education biography","publisher":"Washington Institute for Near East Policy","title":"Michael Herzog","type":"official-biography","url":"https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/michael-herzog"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"2025-02-04","id":"herzog-interview","locator":"Exit interview introduction and first questions on tenure and Rafah","publisher":"The Times of Israel","title":"After finishing DC tour, an Israeli ambassador known for his discretion is ready to talk","type":"primary-record","url":"https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-finishing-dc-tour-an-israeli-ambassador-known-for-his-discretion-is-ready-to-talk/"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"2026-10-24","id":"mission-12e84ff749e3ad2d6ad0","locator":"Supplemental current roster with year spans. It does not establish exact assumption or departure dates. Prefer primary records for the 1999/2000 transition.","publisher":"","title":"Israeli Ambassadors to the United States (1948–Present)","type":"Mission record","url":"https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/israeli-ambassadors-to-the-united-states"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"2026-10-24","id":"mission-4deaa9b8d0d26a0e062a","locator":"The current official page states that Leiter assumed his role on 27 January 2025 and succeeded Michael Herzog. It also documents his earlier finance and education roles. Identifying portrait credited to the MFA.","publisher":"","title":"The ambassador — Dr. Yechiel (Michael) Leiter","type":"Mission record","url":"https://embassies.gov.il/usa/en/the-embassy/the-ambassador"}],"topics":["peace negotiations","military planning","Gaza war diplomacy","Abraham Accords"]},"schemaVersion":1}