Yael Lempert

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Yael Lempert
Yael Lempert.jpg
Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs
Assumed office
August 31, 2021
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byJoey Hood
Acting United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
In office
January 20, 2021 – August 1, 2021
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byWoody Johnson
Succeeded byPhilip T. Reeker (acting)
Deputy Chief of Mission for the
U.S. Embassy in London
In office
January 2019 – January 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
U.S. National Security Council Senior Director for the Levant, Israel and Egypt
In office
2014–2017
PresidentBarack Obama
Personal details
Born1973/1974 (age 47–48)
Spouse(s)
Andrea Catalano di Melilli
​
​
(m. 2008)​
Alma materGeorgetown University (BS)
AwardsNational Security Council Outstanding Service Award (2017)
Presidential Rank Award (2019)[1]

Yael Lempert (born 1973/1974)[2] is an American diplomat. She has served as Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs since August 31, 2021. She also served as Deputy Chief of Mission for the U.S. Embassy in London and U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to the United Kingdom. She is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service in the class of Minister-Counselor.

Early life[]

Lempert graduated from the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.[3] She is the daughter of ophthalmologist Philip Lempert and Lesley Lempert who serves on the board of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

Career[]

Lempert was Senior Director for the Levant, Israel and Egypt at the National Security Council (NSC) from 2014 to 2017. She served as Special Assistant to the President from 2015 to 2017.

She was charged with "(heading) negotiations between the Netanyahu government and Obama administration over the military aid package, in addition to her work on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. The $38-billion deal, over 10 years, was the biggest the United States ever signed with any country."

Initially planning to return to the State Department after 20 years as a career diplomat, Lempert was asked to stay on for the transition and assembling of a new team in 2017 under Donald Trump. Trump officials thought that Lempert, with her "knowledge and experience", could help facilitate a deal between Israel and the Palestinians.[4]

From June 1, 2017 until December 2018, Lempert served as acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Egypt and North Africa.[3][5]

Lempert served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in London from January 2019 to 2021, and as Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. from January 2021 through July 2021.[1] In 2020, she wrote to Andrea Leadsom, the MP for the family of Harry Dunn, to refuse their request for a meeting, as it "would not be appropriate" to meet with the family due to a potential lawsuit.[6]

Lempert became the Acting Assistant Secretary of the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs on August 31, 2021.[7]

Personal life[]

Lempert married Italian diplomat Andrea Catalano di Melilli in 2008 at the Italian Embassy in Cairo.[2]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Yael Lempert". U.S. Embassy & Consulates in the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on April 1, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Yael Lempert, Andrea Catalano". The New York Times. November 7, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Yael Lempert Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Egypt and the Maghreb Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs". US Department of State. Archived from the original on January 31, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  4. ^ Ravid, Barak; Tibon, Amir (March 24, 2017). "Why did Trump keep Obama's senior Israel adviser? Depends who you're asking". Haaretz. Retrieved April 21, 2021. Lempert, 43, held the Israel portfolio on the National Security Council during Barack Obama’s last two years as president.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "Yael Lempert Archives". U.S. Embassy & Consulates in the United Kingdom. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  6. ^ "US officials refuse meeting with Harry Dunn's family due to 'lawsuit'". Shropshire Star. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  7. ^ "Yael Lempert". United States Department of State. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
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