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Welcome to our story
During my many years in public life, I always said that the rarest characteristic of leaders—and the one I admired most—is clarity. Human affairs are encrusted with fog, and nowhere is it thicker than around Israel. To see Israel as it really is—and its relations with America and the world—one must cut through many layers of that fog. Seeing the real Israel requires clarity.
Welcome to Clarity, where I write on Israel, America, and the world. On Clarity, you can access the deep and multifaceted expertise on Israel I gained over the course of more than half a century of high-level involvement in its domestic and foreign affairs.
When I started Clarity one month before the October 7 attacks, I launched it as a place to share my thoughts on current events in Israel and reflections on a life in politics.
Following October 7, I felt like I needed to speak on our behalf, and Clarity became an outlet for me to share my unvarnished opinions on our security and direction as a people. Since the war began, Clarity has covered topics such as media and academic bias, foreign policy, military strategy, history, antisemitism, and Israeli politics — all with the goal of bringing clarity to these dark times.
You can peruse some of our favorite articles here:
As we’ve passed 400 days at war, I am determined to continue to share my perspective on the challenges we face.
As the Ambassador to the United States, a Member of Knesset and Chairman of its Classified Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, and as the Deputy Minister of Diplomacy in the Prime Minister’s Office, I helped shape Israel’s foreign policy. I know the issues, the interests, and the stakes.
I have represented Israel on six continents in an official capacity, and have continued to do so as a private citizen throughout the war — during which time I’ve given hundreds of TV interviews on mainstream networks such as the BBC, CNN, Fox, and MSNBC. I’ve also recorded dozens of podcasts and written for major publications (in addition to what we’ve published here).
When I speak about Israel it comes from a lifetime of experience among its people. Since the 1970s, I have lived in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, and the Negev, and know the country throughout. As an IDF officer and veteran of several wars, and an undercover emissary for Israel abroad, I have first-hand experience in ensuring Israel’s security.
I earned four degrees in Middle Eastern History from Columbia and Princeton, and have taught at Harvard, Yale, and Georgetown. I was the Middle East commentator for CBS and CNN, and the author of three New York Times bestselling books on Israel, the Middle East, and America. My insights uniquely blend history with keen contemporary analysis.
But I write Clarity not only because of what I’ve done — but because of who I am. I grew up in a working-class neighborhood as the only Jewish kid, in the only Jewish family, and frequently experienced antisemitism. My father’s service fighting the Nazis during World War II, and his and my uncle’s participation in the liberation of a concentration camp deeply impacted my relationship with Israel and the Jewish people.
From the earliest age, I knew that I wanted to live in Israel, serve in the IDF, raise my family here, and represent it to the world. Here, on Clarity, I bring not only my knowledge but my passion for Israel’s politics, foreign policy, and people. I want you to see Israel as I do, clearly.
It is to you who care deeply about Israel, its rich past, complicated present, and challenging future, that this Substack is dedicated. You deserve nothing less than clarity.
Join me in clearing away the fog. The view, I promise, will be startling.
Welcome,
Ambassador Michael Oren
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