FORMER RABIN AIDE TAPPED TO LEAD NEW ISRAEL STUDIES INSTITUTE

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Yoram Peri, former political adviser to late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and former editor-in-chief of the Israeli daily Davar newspaper, has been appointed director of the new Joseph and Alma Gildenhorn Institute for Israel Studies at the University of Maryland as well as chair of the Abraham S. and Jack Kay Chair of Israel studies.

"Dr. Peri's arrival on campus has been much anticipated given his exceptional credentials and first-hand knowledge and experience of Israel and the Middle East," said James F. Harris, dean of the university's College of Arts and Humanities. "This appointment further strengthens not only our ability to deliver the very best teaching and research in Israel studies, but also further underscores our strength in resources dedicated to the study of the various regions in the Middle East."

Peri said the institute will focus on making the policy community, as well as the general public, aware of the ongoing policy debates within Israel and their effect on Israeli society. "My intent is to enrich public discourse of both policy and academic elements of the fairly new field of Israel studies by making a home at the institute for both scholars and policy experts," Peri said.

In his long career in academia, Peri has focused on Israeli society, politics, military and the media. He most recently served as head of the Chaim Herzog Institute for Media, Politics, and Society at Tel Aviv University, where he was also professor of political sociology and communication. A former senior fellow at the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University and at the U.S. Institute for Peace in Washington, D.C., Peri has also held visiting appointments at Harvard University, Dartmouth College, American University and the Hebrew University.

Peri has written two dozen chapters in scholarly books, 17 refereed journal articles, 10 monographs and five books. His most recent book, "Generals in the Cabinet Room: How the Military Shapes Israel Policy," was given the "Best of the Best" award in 2007 by the Association of American University Presses.

Parallel to his academic appointments, Peri has held a career as a journalist, served as president of Israel's Association of Daily Newspaper Editors and as a member of the Press Council. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in political science and sociology from Hebrew University and his doctorate from the London School of Economics.