This is also the opportunity to salute the hundreds of dedicated staff members of Israel’s Embassy in Washington, its Mission to the United Nations, and its Consulates throughout the United States. Though I cannot cite all of these colleagues, I want to recognize Ambassador Ron Prosor, David Siegel, Roey Gilad, Daniel Meron, Ofer Babli, Ofer Aviram, Aviv and Einat Ezra, Dana Oren, Miri Katz, Anat Beck, Deydra Cavazos, Alexa Wertman, Kerry Brodie, Eran Levy, Sarit Arbell, Liat Weintraub, Shai Shkargy, Mali Gal, Booni Cohavi, Na’ama Brenner, Ohad and Monika Lev-Cohen, Jed Stein, Shmulik Almany, Valentine Silverio, Carmen Vicencio, and Ivy Samar.
A vital, if often painful, part of writing any book is receiving criticism from discerning readers. These included my sisters-in-law Nancy Ayalon and Amy Malale, John and Marion Krivine, the esteemed Gary Ginsberg, and my soul-friend, Yossi Klein-Halevy. According to Israeli law, books written by senior state employees must be approved by the Military Censor as well as by a review committee composed of representatives of the Defense, Justice, and Foreign Ministries. The devoted professionals who saw Ally through this process earned my highest respect.
No writer could want for a finer, more supportive, and inspiring agent than Jennifer Joel, my longtime representative at ICM, or for a more attentive and talented editor than Will Murphy. Indeed, the entire team at Random House—Susan Kamil, Thomas Perry, Mika Kasuga, London King, and so many others—was, for me, a dream team.
My previous books opened with a dedication to my beloved family and this book will end with one. To Sally, Yoav, Lia, and Noam, who never stopped believing, caring, and loving, todah rabah. Thank you.
PROMINENT FIGURES IN ALLY
Abbas, Mahmoud Chairman, Palestine Liberation Organization (2004–present); President, Palestinian Authority (2005–present).
Abrams, Elliott Deputy National Security Advisor for Global Democracy Strategy (2005–2009); Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies, Council on Foreign Relations (2009–present).
Ackerman, Gary Democratic congressman from New York (1983–2013).
Ahmadinejad, Mahmoud President of the Islamic Republic of Iran (2005–2013).
Amidror, Maj. General (res.) Yaakov National Security Advisor of Israel (2011–2013).
Anderson, Brooke Chief of Staff and Counselor, White House National Security Staff (2011–2012).
Arad, Uzi National Security Advisor of Israel (2009–2011).
Arbell, Dan Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Israel (2009–2011).
Assad, Bashar al President of Syria (2000–present).
Axelrod, David Senior Advisor to President Obama (2009–2011).
Barak, Ehud Israel’s Minister of Defense (2007–2013); Prime Minister (1999–2001).
Barkat, Nir Mayor of Jerusalem (2008–present).
Ben-Ami, Jeremy Executive Director, J Street (2008–present).
Bennett, Naftali Israel’s Minister of Economy, Leader of Jewish Home Party (2013–present).
Berman, Howard Democratic congressman for California (1983–2013); Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Relations (2008–2011).
Blair, Tony British Prime Minister (1997–2007); Quartet envoy (2007–present).
Boehner, John Republican congressman from Ohio (1991–present); Speaker of the House of Representatives (2011–present).
Bolton, John U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (2005–2006).
Boxer, Barbara Democratic senator from California (1993–present).
Brazile, Donna Vice Chairwoman, Democratic National Committee (2001–present); CNN political commentator.
Burns, William J. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State (2011–2014).
Cantor, Eric Republican congressman from Virginia (2001–2014); House Majority Leader (2011–2014).
Carney, Jay White House Press Secretary (2011–2014).
Carville, James Political commentator and strategist.
Castro, Julian Mayor of San Antonio (2009–2014); Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (2015–present).
Cohen, David Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (2011–2014); Deputy Director, CIA (2015–present).
Clinton, Hillary First Lady of the United States (1993–2001); Democratic senator from New York (2001–2009); Secretary of State (2009–2013).
Crowley, Philip J. “P.J.” Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs (2009–2011).
Crown, Lester American Jewish leader and philanthropist; Director, General Dynamics Corporation (1974–2006).
Dagan, Major General Meir Director of the Mossad (2002–2011).
Daley, William White House Chief of Staff (2011–2012).
Dayan, Moshe Chief of Staff, Israel Defense Forces (1953–1958), Defense Minister (1967–1974); Foreign Minister of Israel (1977–1979).
Dempsey, General Martin Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2011–2015).
Dermer, Ron Economic attaché, Israeli Embassy in Washington (2005–2008); Senior Advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2009–2013); Israel’s Ambassador to the United States (2013–present).
Deutch, Ted Democratic congressman from Florida (2010–present).
Diskin, Yuval Director of Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service (2005–2011).
Donilon, Thomas Deputy National Security Advisor (2009–2010); National Security Advisor (2010–2013).
Eban, Abba Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations and the United States (1948–1959); Deputy Prime Minister (1963–1966); Foreign Minister of Israel (1966–1974).
Edelstein, Yuli Knesset member from the Israel Home Party and Likud (1996–2013); Speaker of the Knesset (2013–present).
Ellison, Keith Democratic congressman from Minnesota (2007–present).
El–Sisi, Field Marshal Abdel Fattah Egyptian Minister of Defense and Commander of the Armed Forces (2012–2014); President of Egypt (2014–present).
Emanuel, Rahm Democratic congressman from Illinois (2002–2008); White House Chief of Staff (2009–2010); Mayor of Chicago (2011–present).
Engel, Eliot Democratic congressman from New York (1989–present).
Erdoğan, Recep Tayyip Prime Minister of Turkey (2003–2014); President of Turkey (2014–present).
Erekat, Saeb Chief Palestinian negotiator for peace talks with Israel (1993–present).
Eshel, Major General Amir Chief, Israel Defense Forces Planning Directorate (2008–2012); Commander, Israeli Air Force (2012–present).
Fayyad, Salam Prime Minister, Palestinian Authority (2007–2013).
Feinstein, Dianne Democratic senator from California (1992–present); Chair, Senate Intelligence Committee (2009–2015).
Firouzabadi, Major General Hassan Chief of Staff, Iranian Armed Forces (2002–present).
Flournoy, Michèle Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (2009–2012).
Ford, Robert Ambassador to Syria (2010–2014).
Foxman, Abraham National Director, Anti-Defamation League (1987–2015).
Friedman, Thomas L. New York Times reporter (1981–1994); columnist (1994–present); author, From Beirut to Jerusalem (1988), The Lexus and the Olive Tree (1999), The World Is Flat (2005), and That Used to Be Us, with Michael Mandelbaum (2011).
Funnye, Capers Rabbi, Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation of Chicago (1985–present).
Gaddafi, Colonel Muammar Libyan dictator (1969–2011).
Gantz, Lieuteneant General Benjamin Defense attaché in Washington (2007–2009); Chief of Staff, Israel Defense Forces (2011–2015).
Gates, Robert U.S. Secretary of Defense (2006–2011).
Gibbs, Robert White House Press Secretary (2009–2011).
Giffords, Gabrielle Democratic congresswoman from Arizona (2007–2012).
Gilad, Major General (res.) Amos Director of the Political-Military Affairs Bureau, Israel Defense Forces (2003–present).
Ginsberg, Gary Executive Vice
President, Corporate Marketing and Communications, Time Warner Inc. (2010–present).
Gold, Dore Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations (1997–1999); advisor to Prime Ministers Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu (2001–2006, 2009–present); author, Hatred’s Kingdom: How Saudi Arabia Supports the New Global Terrorism (2003), Tower of Babble: How the United Nations Has Fueled Global Chaos (2004), The Fight for Jerusalem: Radical Islam, the West, and the Future of the Holy City (2007), and The Rise of Nuclear Iran: How Tehran Defies the West (2009).
Goldberg, Jeffrey Author, Prisoners: A Muslim and a Jew across the Middle East Divide (2006); national correspondent, The Atlantic (2007–present); columnist, Bloomberg View (2011–present).
Goldstone, Richard Appellate Division, Supreme Court of South Africa (1989–1994); Committee Chairman, United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict (2009).
Gordon, Philip Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs (2009–2013); Special Assistant to the President and White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf Region, National Security Council (2013–present).
Graham, Lindsey Republican senator from North Carolina (2003–present).
Hagel, Chuck Democratic senator from Nebraska (1997–2009); Secretary of Defense (2013–2015).
Halevi, Yossi Klein Senior Fellow, Shalom Hartman Institute; author, Memoirs of a Jewish Extremist: The Story of a Transformation (1995), At the Entrance to the Garden of Eden: A Jew’s Search for God with Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land (2001), and Like Dreamers: The Story of the Israeli Paratroopers Who Reunited Jerusalem and Divided a Nation (2013).
Hauser, Zvi “Zvika” Cabinet Secretary of the State of Israel (2009–2013).
Hoenlein, Malcolm Executive Vice Chairman, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (1986–present).
Hoyer, Steny Democratic congressman from Maryland (1981–present); Majority Whip (2007–2011).
Ignatius, David Associate Editor and columnist, The Washington Post (2002–present).
Indyk, Martin Founding Executive Director, Washington Institute for Near East Policy (1985); Senior Director of Near East and South Asian Affairs, NSC (1993–1994); Ambassador to Israel (1995–1997, 2000–2001); Special Envoy for Middle East Peace (2013–2014); author, Innocent Abroad: An Intimate Account of American Peace Diplomacy in the Middle East (2009).
Inhofe, Jim Republican senator from Oklahoma (1994–present).
Inouye, Daniel Democratic senator from Hawaii (1963–2012).
Israel, Steven Democratic congressman from New York (2001–present).
Jabari, Ahmed Chief of Staff, Hamas’s military wing (2002–2012).
Jarrett, Valerie Senior Advisor to the President (2009–present).
Jones, General James L. National Security Advisor (2009–2010).
Jordan, Vernon Civil rights lawyer and Democratic political advisor (1960s–present).
Kagan, Elena Supreme Court Justice (2010–present).
Kahl, Colin Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East (2009–2011); National Security Advisor to the Vice President (2014–present).
Kaine, Timothy Governor, State of Virginia (2006–2010); Democratic senator from Virginia (2013–present).
Kerry, John Democratic senator from Massachusetts (1985–2013); Chairman, Senate Foreign Relations Committee (2009–2013); Secretary of State (2013–present).
Khamenei, Ali Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran (1989–present).
Kirk, Mark Republican senator from Illinois (2010–present).
Kohr, Howard Executive Director, AIPAC (1996–present).
Kristol, William (Bill) Founder and editor, The Weekly Standard (1995–present).
Lapid, Yair Israel’s Minister of Finance (2013–2014); Chairman of the Yesh Atid Party (2013–present).
Lauder, Ronald U.S. Ambassador to Austria (1986–1987); President, World Jewish Congress (2007–present).
Levi, Yonit News anchor, Israel’s Channel 2 (2002–present).
Levey, Stuart Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (2004–2013).
Lew, Jack Deputy Secretary of State (2009–2011); White House Chief of Staff (2012–2013); Secretary of the Treasury (2013–present).
Liberman, Avigdor “Evet” Chairman, Israel Home Party (1999–present); Foreign Minister of Israel (2009–2014).
Lieberman, Joseph Democratic (later, Independent) senator from Connecticut (1989–2013).
Livni, Tzipi Likud minister (2001–2005); Kadima Party Minister of Justice (2006–2007); Foreign Minister of Israel (2006–2009); Opposition Leader (2009–2012); Minister of Justice and co–chief negotiator for peace talks with the Palestinians (2013–2014).
Love, Reggie Personal aide to President Barack Obama (2009–2011).
Maher, Bill American political satirist; host of Real Time with Bill Maher (2003–present).
Marcus, Ruth columnist, The Washington Post (1984–present).
Marshall, Capricia U.S. Chief of Protocol (2009–2013).
McCain, John Republican senator from Arizona (1987–present); Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee (2015–present).
McCarthy, Kevin Republican congressman from California (2007–present); House Majority Whip (2011–2014); House Majority Leader (2014–present).
McConnell, Mitch Republican senator from Kentucky (1985–present); Senate Minority Leader (2007–2014); Senate Majority Leader (2015–present).
McDonough, Denis Deputy National Security Advisor (2010–2013); White House Chief of Staff (2013–present).
McKeon, Howard “Buck” Republican congressman from California (1993–2015); Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (2011–2015).
Menendez, Robert Democratic senator from New Jersey (2006–present); Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (2013–present).
Meridor, Dan Israel’s Minister of Justice (1988–1992); Minister of Finance (1996–1997); Minister Without Portfolio (2001–2003); Deputy Prime Minister (2009–2013).
Meridor, Sallai Israel’s Ambassador to the United States (2005–2009).
Mikulski, Barbara Democratic senator from Maryland (1987–present); Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee (2012–2015).
Mitchell, George Democratic senator from Maine (1980–1995); U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland (1995–2001); U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace (2009–2011).
Mofaz, Shaul Minister of Defense (2002–2006); Israel Opposition Leader, Kadima Party (2012–2013).
Molcho, Yitzhak Co–chief Israeli negotiator for peace talks with the Palestinians (1996–1999, 2009–2014).
Morsi, Mohamed President of the Arab Republic of Egypt (2012–2013).
Moser, Lee Chief of Staff, Embassy of Israel to the United States (2011–2013).
Mullen, Admiral Michael Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2007–2011).
Nides, Thomas Deputy Secretary of State (2011–2013).
O’Malley, Martin Governor of Maryland (2007–2015).
Olmert, Ehud Prime Minister of Israel (2006–2009).
Pandith, Farah U.S. Special Representative to Muslim Communities (2009–2014).
Panetta, Leon Democratic congressman from California (1977–1993); White House Chief of Staff (1994–1997); Secretary of Defense (2011–2013); Director of the CIA (2009–2011).
Pardo, Tamir Director of the Mossad (2011–present).
Patterson, Anne Ambassador to Pakistan (2007–2010); Ambassador to Egypt (2011–2013); Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs (2013–present).
Pelosi, Nancy Democratic congresswoman from California (1987–present); Speaker of the House of Representatives (2007–2011); House Democratic Leader (2015–present).
Peres, Shimon Defense Minister of Israel (1974–1977, 1995–1996); Foreign M
inister (1986–1989, 1992–1995, 2001–2002); Prime Minister (1995–1996); President of Israel (2007–2014).
Petraeus, General David Commander of U.S. Central Command (2008–2010); Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (2010–2011); Director of the CIA (2011–2012).
Posner, Michael Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (2009–2013).
Rabin, Yitzhak IDF Chief of Staff (1964–1968); Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. (1968–1973); Prime Minister of the State of Israel (1974–1977, 1992–1995).
Reid, Harry Democratic senator from Nevada (1987–present); Senate Majority Leader (2007–2015); Senate Minority Leader (2015–present).
Rhodes, Benjamin Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications and Speechwriting (2009–present).
Rice, Condoleezza National Security Advisor (2001–2005); Secretary of State (2005–2009).
Rice, Susan Ambassador to the United Nations (2009–2013); National Security Advisor (2013–present).
Rogers, Michael Republican congressman from Michigan (2001–2015); Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee (2011–2015).
Romney, Mitt Governor of Massachusetts (2003–2007); Republican presidential candidate (2012).
Rosenberg, Lee President, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) (2010–2012); AIPAC Board Chairman (2012–2013).
Rosenthal, Hannah Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism (2009–2012).
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