The entire J Street community mourns the passing of our friend Uri Savir, the great Israeli diplomat and peace negotiator. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues and all those who knew this great man.
One of the most brilliant, creative and effective diplomats in Israel’s history, Savir strongly believed that peace was both necessary and possible – and pursued it tirelessly throughout his life. Savir served as Director General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry under Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. As Israel’s lead peace negotiator, he helped to produce and finalize the Oslo Accords alongside his Palestinian counterpart Abu Alla. He also participated in the delegation that negotiated Israel’s groundbreaking 1994 peace agreement with Jordan.
Following his highly distinguished career in the foreign ministry, Savir served in the Knesset and helped to launch the Peres Center for Peace, where he served as Director General. He also founded YaLa, a movement that creates dialogue between young leaders from across the Middle East and North Africa, helping them to build advocacy and activist skills. Savir was also a proud early supporter of J Street and the growth of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement in the United States.
Savir’s legacy of bringing people together and striving for peace will continue to inspire all those who knew him. May his memory be for a blessing.