Ishmael Khaldi

Ishmael Khaldi currently serves as the Policy Advisor to Israel’s Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman. He attained this position after serving for two years as Deputy Consul General of Israel in San Francisco. 

Mr. Khaldi is Israel’s first Bedouin diplomat. Born and raised in a Bedouin village in Northern Israel, Mr. Khaldi served in the Israeli Defense Forces, Defense Ministry, and the Israeli Police, before being chosen to join the Foreign Ministry in October 2004. During the disengagement from Gaza, Mr. Khaldi served as Israel’s official spokesperson to the Arab Media.  He then joined the North American Division where he was chosen for his post as Deputy Consul General in San Francisco in 2006.

Mr. Khaldi is an in-demand speaker, with requests coming from around the globe.  He speaks on campuses across North America, and is a frequent radio and television guest. His op-eds have appeared in newspapers, magazines and on-line.

Mr. Khaldi says the lessons he learned as a shepherd growing up in his village have served him well in his mission as a diplomat.  His unique life and historic role as an Israeli diplomat has just been published in his book titled “A Shepherd’s Journey” and he is currently speaking across America.