Former Israeli intelligence official Avi Melamed serves as a regional affairs analyst, author, speaker and educator focused on the Middle East, its individual countries, states, and territories, as well as geopolitical development and reverberations throughout the region. 

Fluent in Arabic, Melamed’s finger on the pulse of the players, proxies, and governmental and para-governmental groups operating throughout the region, facilitates his unique critical understanding of the Middle East.

Melamed served in Israeli intelligence for close to two decades before going on to provide strategic advice for Jerusalem mayors Teddy Kollek and Ehud Olmert as serving as a senior advisor on Arab affairs during the first and second intifada.

During Melamed’s decades of public service to Israel’s government, his billet included counterterrorism and intelligence gathering within Arab countries and communities throughout the Middle East.

After leaving the service of his government, Melamed founded and serves as the chief education officer of Inside the Middle East (ITME), a nonprofit he spearheaded to help others understand how to analyze the shifting sands of the region by cultivating critical thinkers through non-partisan and innovative education. Through ITME, Melamed’s acclaimed workshops and seminars have fostered a nuanced understanding of the Middle East for a gamut of audiences, extending from community groups and high school students to Capitol Hill leaders and foreign diplomats.  

Melamed is frequently sought after by Israeli, Arab and other foreign policymakers, global media outlets, and a wide variety of international businesses for his unique expertise in the region.

Sharing his specialized expertise, Melamed has authored several projects on better understanding the Middle East. His latest book “Inside The Middle East | Entering a New Era,” has received high acclaim from executives, journalists, think tanks, and thought leaders, many from across the Arab world. Under his guidance, Inside the Middle East will launch a six-part documentary series on Jerusalem titled The Seamline scheduled to release in 2023.