Zohar Palti, the Andrew Viterbi Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, retired from government service in 2022 after four decades in some of the most sensitive positions in Israel’s national security establishment. Among his positions, he served as director of the Policy and Political-Military Bureau at Israel's Ministry of Defense, where his responsibilities included conducting Israel’s defense ties with strategic partners around the world and directing defense and security relationships with foreign countries.
Prior to that, he led the Mossad Intelligence Directorate (at the rank equivalent to major general) and was the counterterrorism chief of the organization. Before joining the Mossad, Palti served for twenty-five years in the IDF Intelligence Corps. In addition to his roles in Israeli military and intelligence, he held several research positions, including senior research fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center (2016-7) and as a visiting military fellow with The Washington Institute in 2004.
In a rare honor for a foreign official, upon his retirement Palti was awarded the U.S. Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, in recognition of “his major contribution to bolstering U.S.-Israel strategic defense relations.”
In addition to his Institute fellowship, Palti is member of the Advisory Board of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI). He is also a consultant for private U.S. companies.
Palti holds a BA and an Executive MA 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.
