David Makovsky (born June 21, 1960) is the Ziegler distinguished fellow and director of the

Washington Institute for Near East Policy The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP or TWI, also known simply as The Washington Institute) is a pro-Israel American think tank based in Washington, D.C., focused on the foreign policy of the United States in the Near East. WIN ...

Project on the Middle East Peace Process."David Makovsky". 28 June 2015. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/view/makovsky-david In addition, he is adjunct professor at

Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hemisphere. It consi ...

Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) is a graduate school of Johns Hopkins University based in Washington, D.C., United States, with campuses in Bologna, Italy, and Nanjing, China. It is consistently ranked one of th ...

(SAIS) in the Middle Eastern studies program. He is coauthor of the book ''Myths, Illusions, & Peace'' with

Dennis Ross Dennis B. Ross (born November 26, 1948) is an American diplomat and author. He has served as the Director of Policy Planning in the State Department under President George H. W. Bush, the special Middle East coordinator under President Bill Clin ...

. Mr. Makovsky's commentary on U.S. policy towards the Middle East and Middle East peace process has been broadcast on the ''PBS NewsHour'' with

Jim Lehrer James Charles Lehrer (; May 19, 1934 – January 23, 2020) was an American journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and playwright. Lehrer was the executive editor and a news anchor for the ''PBS NewsHour'' on PBS and was known for his role as a de ...

. His writings can be found in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

'', ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'', and '' Foreign Affairs''.

Education, career and personal life

David Makovsky received his bachelor's degree from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

and his master's in

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...

studies from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

. From 1989 to 2000, David Makovsky extensively covered the peace process between

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

and the Palestinians, in his roles as executive editor and editor-in-chief (1999-2000) of ''

The Jerusalem Post ''The Jerusalem Post'' is a broadsheet newspaper based in Jerusalem, founded in 1932 during the British Mandate of Palestine by Gershon Agron as ''The Palestine Post''. In 1950, it changed its name to ''The Jerusalem Post''. In 2004, the paper ...

'', and diplomatic correspondent for Israel's major daily '' Haaretz''. During this time, he also served as special

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

correspondent to '' U.S. News & World Report'', for which he subsequently served as contributing editor. He was recognized for his accomplishments in journalism in 1994, when he was awarded the National Press Club's Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence, in recognition for his cover story on PLO finances that he co-wrote for the magazine. In July of that year, Mr. Makovsky became the first journalist writing for an Israeli publication to visit Damascus. This had been made possible with the personal intervention of then Secretary of State

Warren Christopher Warren Minor Christopher (October 27, 1925March 18, 2011) was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician. During Bill Clinton's first term as president, he served as the 63rd United States Secretary of State. Born in Scranton, North Dakota, ...

. Mr. Makovsky would go on to make five trips to Syria. Mr. Makovsky also made history in March 1995 when he was given unprecedented permission, with the help of U.S. officials, to file reports from Jeddah,

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...

, for an Israeli publication.

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Currently, David Makovsky is Senior Fellow and the Ziegler distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP). The Washington Institute was founded in 1985 with the goal of helping advance U.S. interests in the Middle East. The Washington Institute has a senior research staff whose expertise cover a wide variety of the issues relevant in the Middle East, including political, military, security, and economic issues. Most speak the native languages of the

, have lived and worked there, and frequently are from the region themselves."Our History". 20 August 2009. http://washingtoninstitute.org/templateC11.php?CID=20&newActiveSubNav=Our%20History&activeSubNavLink=templateC11.php%3FCID%3D20&newActiveNav=aboutUs The experts of the Washington Institute are often quoted in major American and international media, interviewed on network television and radio programs, and featured as authors of op-eds in influential newspapers. In addition, the Institute publishes material that is generally recognized by journalists, officials, and diplomats as "must reading". Both in and out of

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

, the Institute's policy briefs, monographs, and other publications are read by those seeking immediate analysis of current events and long term assessments of trends in

issues. At its inception, the Institute's main focus was on Arab-Israeli issues and overall U.S.

policy. In the 1990s, the scope of the Institute's research grew as the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

fell and the first

Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...

took place. This expansion included a particular focus on

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

and the rise of Islamic politics in understanding the political trends in the post-Soviet Middle East. The range of issues covered by the Institute expanded once again after September 11, this time driven by the focus of the U.S. on the

as a central foreign policy concern. The Institute has thus dedicated new resources to assist the U.S. government in understanding and countering Islamist extremism,

terrorism Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...

, and nuclear proliferation. The ultimate hope of the Washington Institute is to see a more stable, secure, and prosperous

. It is the work of the Institute to aid the American leadership with the ideas and talents of people who can understand and shape policy.

Published work

David Makovsky is the author of the books ''Making Peace With The PLO: The Rabin Government's Road To The Oslo Accord,'' ''Engagement Through Disengagement: Gaza and the Potential for Renewed Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking,'' and more recently ''Myths, Illusions, & Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East''. ''Myths, Illusions, & Peace,'' coauthored with

, sets out to prove the many myths about the

false, and help set a new course for American foreign policy in the Middle East. In addition, he is the author or coauthor of several Washington Institute monographs, including ''Lessons and Implications of the Israel-Hizballah War: A Preliminary Assessment'' (2006); '' Olmert's Unilateral Option: An Early Assessment'' (2006); ''

Hamas Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam ...

Triumphant'' (2006); ''Engagement Through Disengagement: Gaza and the Potential for Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking'' (2005); ''A Defensible Fence: Fighting Terror and Enabling a Two State Solution'' (2004). David Makovsky also wrote ''Making Peace with the PLO: The Rabin Government's Road to the Oslo Accord'' (Washington Institute/Westview Press/HarperCollins, 1996); and contributed to a collection on U.S. involvement in the First

, ''Triumph without Victory'' (Random House, 1992). David Makovsky is also the author of many op-ed pieces, which have appeared in publications such as New York '' Daily News'', ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...

'', ''

'', and ''

''.

Media

David Makovsky's commentary on the

Arab–Israeli conflict The Arab–Israeli conflict is an ongoing intercommunal phenomenon involving political tension, military conflicts, and other disputes between Arab countries and Israel, which escalated during the 20th century, but had mostly faded out by the ...

have appeared in ''

'', ''

'', the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...

'', ''

'', the ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Ni ...

'', the '' International Herald Tribune'', the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...

'', '' Foreign Affairs'', '' Foreign Policy'', and ''

The National Interest ''The National Interest'' (''TNI'') is an American bimonthly international relations magazine edited by American journalist Jacob Heilbrunn and published by the Center for the National Interest, a public policy think tank based in Washington, ...

''. Also, he has appeared on ''PBS NewsHour'' with

, Charlie Rose
the ''Mimi Geerges Show''

National Public Radio National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

, C-SPAN,

Voice of America Voice of America (VOA or VoA) is the state-owned news network and international radio broadcaster of the United States of America. It is the largest and oldest U.S.-funded international broadcaster. VOA produces digital, TV, and radio content ...

, '' Alhurra Free Hour'' and others.

''Myths, Illusions, & Peace''

Among the areas covered in ''Myths, Illusions, & Peace'' are the Israeli–Palestinian conflict,

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

, and the history behind the current events in these regions. The book has been widely praised and well received by many interested in the

. David Makovsky has been interviewed several times, the book reviewed in several media outlets, and a book signing event held to discuss ''Myths, Illusions, & Peace''. The Advance Praise on the back of the book gives an idea of the impression that the book has made: "Ross and Makovsky are superb guides to the political bazaar known as the

. Myths, Illusions, and Peace sheds new light on old dilemmas at a moment when fresh approaches to the Middle East are urgently needed, widely desired, and genuinely possible. This is a book written to be appreciated by experts and novices alike.""Myths, Illusions, & Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East". 20 August 2009. http://washingtoninstitute.org/templateC04.php?CID=310 — Madeleine K. Albright, U.S. Secretary of State "This book is like an advanced course in Middle East politics. Whether you are an expert or not, you will learn a lot and gain fresh understanding about a range of difficult issues. Besides the many insights of the book, what emerges is that the authors share a belief in Middle East peace." —Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed, Head of Al-Arabiya Arab Satellite Television Network "This compelling book is an insightful testament to the authors' profound grasp of Middle East history and its development into today's contemporary reality. By dispelling myths that have captivated too many for too long in our region and beyond its shores, they bring to their analysis much needed fresh focus and lucid thinking, a significant contribution to building a better future for all the peoples of the Middle East." — Shimon Peres, President of

"I rely on the work of

and David Makovsky for deep strategic thinking. I value their research and analysis. I consider their work a national treasure of the United States."''Myths, Illusions, & Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the

''. 20 August 2009. http://washingtoninstitute.org/templateC04.php?CID=310 —Lieutenant General

Keith Dayton Keith W. Dayton (born March 7, 1949) is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Army who currently serves as the director of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Dayton served a ...

, United States Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority "Ross and Makovsky cogently blend the experience of diplomacy with the clarity of seasoned expertise. Anchored in astute political analyses, their book not only debunks widely and wildly held myths inherent in the Middle East's most daunting issues, it offers clear prescriptions for this and future administrations. A mandated read for students, diplomats, and presidents alike." — Kenneth W. Stein, William E. Schatten Professor of Contemporary Middle Eastern History and Political Science,

Emory University Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...

References

Sources

* * "David Makovsky". 28 June 2015. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/view/makovsky-david * "Our History". 20 August 2009. http://washingtoninstitute.org/templateC11.php?CID=20&newActiveSubNav=Our%20History&activeSubNavLink=templateC11.php%3FCID%3D20&newActiveNav=aboutUs *"Op-Ed Articles Recently Published by David Makovsky". 20 August 2009. http://davidmakovsky.com *"Interview Given by David Makovsky". 20 August 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20100906103729/http://www.davidmakovsky.com/category/interview-given-by-david-makovsky *"Myths, Illusions, & Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East". 20 August 2009. http://washingtoninstitute.org/templateC04.php?CID=310

External links

The Washington Institute for Near East PolicyDavid Makovsky, Washington InstituteNew Yorker
{{DEFAULTSORT:Makovsky, David 1960 births Harvard University alumni Columbia College (New York) alumni Johns Hopkins University people Living people The Jerusalem Post editors