Since 2016, Dorit Zats has served as the Minister for Administrative Affairs and Consul at the Embassy of Israel in Washington DC. Mrs. Zats has worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for almost 36 years.
We sat down with her this week as part of our #MeetTeamIsrael program:
Mrs. Zats, What is your role
here at the Embassy? I have been with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 36 years. I
have served in various positions both in Israel and abroad, including New York,
Mexico, Guatemala and Hungary. Washington D.C. is my 5th international posting and I
serve two main functions here at the Embassy. I am the Minister for
Administrative Affairs and Consul, which bears responsibility for both
administrative affairs and consular affairs. As head of administrative affairs,
I manage and oversee the Embassy budget, assets belonging to the State of
Israel and all financial matters pertaining to the Embassy. I handle all legal
issues and contracts, and serve as the legal authority for the Embassy of
Israel. I am also responsible for human resources and maintenance issues in the
Embassy.As Consul I manage the Consular Department, which basically has
three key functions: to serve as an extension of the Israel Ministry of
Interior, essentially providing service to Israeli citizens abroad; to issue
official visas to U.S. officials who travel on government passports to Israel;
and to provide notary and various visa services to those requesting to travel
to Israel.
How long have you been here?
I have been here since the summer of 2016.
What do you think it takes to be a good diplomat?
First of all, you have to be patriotic. You have to believe in what
you do, love your country, and strive to represent it with respect. We are the
face of Israel and represent our country to everyone with whom we work, here in
Washington DC but also to the entire United States. We, like all of Israel’s
diplomatic missions around the world, are the showcase and platform for the
State of Israel, and help people get to know more about our country beyond what
they are exposed to from the media.
What motivates you to make a difference?
I always strive to improve, be better and move forward. As a head
of department, I believe in providing the best service possible, while
promoting innovation and optimization of my department’s work. I do this both
within the Embassy and when representing Israel to the world. I believe that we
should provide the same level of service that we expect to receive. I’m
grateful for the opportunity I have to represent Israel, which is something I’m
doing with great motivation, dignity and pride.