{{Short description|Israeli academic and politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = Ronen Hoffman.jpg | caption = Hoffman in 2012 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|7|19|df=y}} | birth_place = Afula, Israel | death_date = | death_place = | office1 = Faction represented in the Knesset | suboffice1 = Yesh Atid | subterm1 = 2013–2015 | office2 = Diplomatic roles | suboffice2 = Ambassador to Canada | subterm2 = 2021–2023 }}
'''Ronen Pinchas Hoffman''' ({{langx|he|רונן פנחס הופמן}}; born 19 July 1963) is an Israeli academic, politician and diplomat. He served as a member of the Knesset for Yesh Atid between 2013 and 2015 and was Ambassador to Canada from 2021 to 2023.
==Biography== Hoffman was born into a farming family in Afula,<ref name=OJB>[https://ottawajewishbulletin.com/jewish-ottawa/meet-dr-ronen-hoffman-israels-new-ambassador-to-canada Meet Dr. Ronen Hoffman: Israel's new ambassador to Canada] Ottawa Jewish Bulletin, 10 January 2022</ref> and grew up in the city.<ref name=JP>[https://www.jpost.com/Features/InThespotlight/Article.aspx?id=302960 Meet the MK: Ronen Hoffman] The Jerusalem Post, 12 February 2013</ref> After his national service in the Israel Defense Forces he studied political science at Tel Aviv University. He worked as an information officer in the Israeli consulate in Atlanta and as a personal aide to Yitzhak Rabin during the 1992 elections. He was then involved in co-ordinating the Israeli delegation for peace talks with Syria between 1992 and 1994.<ref name=JP/>
In 1996 Hoffman founded the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, and served as its CEO until the following year. In 1999 he completed his doctorate at King's College London, dealing with Syrian-Israeli Peace Negotiations from 1992 to 1995.<ref name=JP/><ref>[http://besacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Prof.-Efraim-Karshs-CV.pdf Professor Efraim Karsh] Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies</ref> After returning to Syrian peace negotiations under Prime Minister Ehud Barak,<ref name=OJB/> he then worked as a senior lecturer at the Institute focussing on governance, diplomacy, international relations and political psychology between 2001 and 2012.<ref name=JP/><ref name=TOI>[http://www.timesofisrael.com/yair-lapids-sends-a-diverse-quality-slate-to-knesset/ All the kingmaker’s men, and women] The Times of Israel, 23 January 2013</ref> He also worked as a policy advisor to the Ministry of Defense during 2001.
In 2012 he joined the new Yesh Atid party and was placed nineteenth on the party's list for the 2013 Knesset elections.<ref>[http://www.bechirot.gov.il/elections19/heb/list/List.aspx?ListId=102 Yesh Atid] Central Elections Committee</ref> He entered the Knesset after the party won 19 seats, and sat on the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and chaired the subcommittee on Foreign Policy and Public Diplomacy. He was placed eighteenth on the Yesh Atid list for the 2015 elections,<ref>[http://www.bechirot20.gov.il/election/Candidates/Pages/OneListCandidates.aspx?LPF=Search&WebId=6adadc15-e476-480b-9746-04490aedeb0f&ListID=ba72a662-765c-45af-9d48-fb68080956af&ItemID=43&FieldID=ListNickname_GxS_Text Yesh Atid list] Central Elections Committee</ref> losing his seat as the party was reduced to 11 seats.
In July 2021 Hoffman was appointed Ambassador to Canada.<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/lapid-appoints-ronen-hoffman-ambassador-to-canada-674309 Lapid appoints Ronen Hoffman ambassador to Canada] The Jerusalem Post, 19 July 2021</ref> He took up the role in December 2021.<ref>[https://www.gg.ca/en/media/news/2021/governor-general-welcomed-new-heads-mission-canada-during-ceremony-rideau-hall-2 Governor General welcomed new heads of mission to Canada during a ceremony at Rideau Hall] The Governor General of Canada</ref>
On 21 January 2023 Hoffman announced his resignation as ambassador to Canada because his "personal and professional integrity has compelled [him] to request to shorten [his] post and return to Israel this summer,"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Paas-Lang |first1=Christian |title=Israel's ambassador to Canada says he will resign, citing differences with new Netanyahu government |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/israel-ambassador-canada-resign-netanyahu-1.6722484 |website=CBC |publisher=CBC Radio Canada |access-date=23 January 2023}}</ref> and that his opposition to the Netanyahu government made it impossible for him to continue in his position.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lis |first1=Jonathan |title=Israeli Ambassador to Canada Resigns Due to 'Incompatibility' With Policies of Far-right Gov't |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-01-21/ty-article/.premium/israeli-ambassador-to-canada-resigns-citing-incompatibility-with-far-right-govt/00000185-d63a-da66-a1bf-ffbaa53c0000 |access-date=22 January 2023 |agency=Haaretz |date=21 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121224152/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-01-21/ty-article/.premium/israeli-ambassador-to-canada-resigns-citing-incompatibility-with-far-right-govt/00000185-d63a-da66-a1bf-ffbaa53c0000 |archive-date=21 January 2023}}</ref>
Hoffman lives in Ottawa with his partner, Michal Arad.<ref name=EIC>[https://embassies.gov.il/ottawa/AboutTheEmbassy/Pages/The-ambassador.aspx Ambassador] Embassy of Israel in Canada</ref> He is divorced and has three children.<ref name=JP/><ref>[https://thecjn.ca/news/meet-ronen-hoffman-israels-new-ambassador-to-canada-a-counter-terrorism-expert-and-hockey-dad/ Meet Ronen Hoffman, Israel’s new ambassador to Canada: a foreign policy expert and hockey dad] The Canadian Jewish News, 4 January 2022</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{MKlink|id=869}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoffman, Ronen}} Category:1963 births Category:Living people Category:People from Afula Category:Tel Aviv University alumni Category:Alumni of King's College London Category:Israeli civil servants Category:Israeli educators Category:Academic staff of Reichman University Category:Yesh Atid politicians Category:Members of the 19th Knesset (2013–2015) Category:Ambassadors of Israel to Canada
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