A Conversation on Middle East Security Challenges with Zohar Palti

On Monday, October 24, 2022, the Strauss-Clements Intelligence Studies Project, Strauss Center for International Security and Law, and Clements Center for National Security, in partnership with the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the UT-Austin Department of Middle Eastern Studies, hosted Zohar Palti, former Director of Israel’s Ministry of Defense Policy and Political-Military Bureau and former Director of Intelligence of the Mossad, for a conversation on Middle East security challenges. For event photographs, click HERE.

BIOGRAPHY

Zohar Palti is the International Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He previously served as head of the Policy & Political-Military Bureau at Israel’s Ministry of Defense, where his responsibilities included directing defense and security relationships with foreign countries. Prior to that, he led the Mossad Intelligence Directorate and served as deputy head of the Research Division in the Israel Defense Forces Intelligence Corps at the rank of colonel.

In addition to his roles in Israeli military and intelligence, he held several research positions, including senior research fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center and in 2004, a visiting military fellow with The Washington Institute.

Palti holds a B.A. and an Executive M.A. in Middle Eastern studies from Tel Aviv University, with distinction. He is a graduate of the U.S. National Defense University’s advanced management program. Upon his retirement earlier this spring, Palti was awarded the U.S. Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service “for his major contribution to bolstering U.S.-Israel strategic defense relations.”