Ambassador Gilad Erdan currently serves in the dual role of Israel’s
Ambassador to the United States and the United Nations. He presented his
credentials to the UN in August 2020 and became Ambassador to the US in January
2021.
Prior to becoming an ambassador, Erdan served as a Member of Knesset from
2003 to 2020 and held key ministerial positions in the government.
From 2015-2020, Erdan was Minister of Strategic Affairs, where he coordinated
the government’s strategy against the Palestinian-led efforts to delegitimize
and boycott the State of Israel. Under his leadership, the Ministry revealed the
anti-Semitic nature and terrorist connections of the Boycott, Divestment and
Sanctions campaign against Israel.
As Minister of Public Security from 2015-2020, Erdan ensured the security
of Israeli citizens during a period of heightened terrorist attacks. His
innovative approach included preempting attacks with advanced technologies used
to identify terrorists ahead of time. Erdan also established the Child Online
Protection Bureau, a national authority combining law enforcement with
education and treatment to ensure the safety of minors online. He also
initiated a project requiring all police officers to wear body cameras.
From 2013-2014, Erdan served as Minister of Communications, where he
increased competition in all sectors of the industry and reformed Israel’s
national broadcasting authority. These efforts paved the way for leading
creative content, including the critically acclaimed TV series Tehran.
As Minister of Environmental Protection between 2009-2013, Erdan brought
the issue of climate change to the center of Israel’s public agenda. He led a
precedent-setting government decision on Israel’s commitment to reducing
greenhouse gas emissions and prepared a strategy for "green growth"
in Israel.
Erdan received the Green
Globe award in 2008 and 2011 for outstanding work on environmental
protection, and in 2009, was named “man of the decade” by Green Light, a
prominent road safety organization in Israel.
Prior to serving in the Knesset, Erdan was as an adviser to Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a Parliamentary Assistant to Ariel Sharon. He
holds a Law Degree and a Master’s degree in Political Science from Tel Aviv
University. A native of the Southern port city of Ashkelon, Erdan grew up in an
Orthodox Jewish home. He is married and a father of four.
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