Dr. Dore Gold, a diplomat and academic who held prominent roles as Israel’s Director General of the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador to the United Nations, and political advisor to Prime Minister Netanyahu, passed away on Monday at age 71.
Dore Gold was born in 1953 in Hartford, Connecticut, and grew up in a Conservative Jewish home. He received his primary education at the Orthodox Yeshiva of Hartford. In the 1970s, Gold attended Northfield Mount Hermon School (Class of 1971) before enrolling at Columbia University, where he earned both a BA and MA in Political Science, followed by a PhD in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies.
Gold was a key figure in shaping Israel’s foreign policy. He held several significant roles, including Director General of the Foreign Ministry, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, and political advisor to Prime Ministers Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu. He was one of the founders of the Abraham Accords.
In 1991, Gold served as an advisor to the Israeli delegation at the Madrid Peace Conference and the subsequent Washington talks. During this time, he became a close friend of Benjamin Netanyahu and took on the role of his political advisor, a position he continued when Netanyahu became Prime Minister.
Gold played a crucial role in establishing ties between the Likud Party leadership and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, while the Labor Party-led government was forming a strategic relationship with the PLO under Yasser Arafat. He accompanied Netanyahu to meetings with the Jordanian leadership in 1994–1995 in London, Amman, and Aqaba.
As Netanyahu’s political advisor after the 1996 elections, Gold engaged in talks with the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab parties. He was also involved in negotiations that led to the drafting of the annexes to the Hebron Agreement, particularly those concerning reciprocity between Arafat and Netanyahu.
From 1997 to 1999, Gold served as Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations. During his tenure, in 1998, he was part of the Israeli delegation at the Wye Plantation Conference, which brought together Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and President Bill Clinton.
In April 2009, Gold participated in the Doha Debates at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Along with law professor Alan Dershowitz, Gold argued against the claim that “it is time for the United States to toughen its stance toward Israel.” The speakers supporting this claim were former head of the Jewish Agency, Avraham Burg, and former CIA intelligence officer Michael Scheuer. Gold and Dershowitz lost the debate, with 63% of the audience voting in favor of toughening US policy against Israel.
In October 2016, Gold announced his resignation as Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, citing personal circumstances.
Dr. Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (formerly the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs), eulogized Dr. Gold saying, “Dore was one of Israel’s most respected diplomats, setting a high standard for academic excellence, diplomatic vision, and exceptional communication skills in his various roles. He left a unique and significant mark on the Jerusalem Center, the State of Israel, the Jewish people, and the international community as a whole. His legacy of moral integrity and unwavering commitment to defending Israel and the Jewish people will forever be remembered by all who had the privilege of working with him. He was my personal mentor. May his memory be a blessing.”
Gold’s funeral will take place on Monday at 4:00 PM at the Kehilat Yerushalayim funeral home on Mount Hamunehot in Jerusalem. He is survived by his wife, two children, and six grandchildren. May his memory be blessed.
