Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk Dies at 73

Martin Indyk, a prominent figure in U.S. and Middle East diplomacy, passed away at the age of 73 due to complications from esophageal cancer, as confirmed by his wife, Gahl Hodges Burt. Indyk died at their home in New Fairfield, Connecticut. The Council on Foreign Relations, where he had been a distinguished fellow since 2018, praised him as a “rare, trusted voice” in the often polarized discussions surrounding U.S. policy in the Middle East. Born in Australia, Indyk served as the U.S. ambassador to Israel during two separate terms from 1995 to 1997 and from 2000 to 2001. He was also the special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations under President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2014. His resignation from this role marked another setback in U.S. efforts to broker peace in the region. Recently, amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Indyk used social media to criticize Israeli leadership, urging citizens to recognize the dangers of their government's actions. Indyk's career included significant roles in the U.S. Department of State as assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs and at various think tanks, including The Brookings Institution and The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Colleagues remembered him as a visionary and effective policy entrepreneur, with Robert Satloff noting his commitment to shaping American Middle East policy through research and analysis. Indyk's legacy is marked by his influential contributions to diplomacy and public policy in the region.