Robert Malley

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Malley and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in June 2015 Secretary Kerry Addresses Reporters Before Meeting With Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif in Austria for Latest Round of Nuclear Negotiations.jpg
Malley and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in June 2015

Malley was the lead U.S. negotiator on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed on July 14, 2015, which aimed to limit Iran's nuclear activities and ensure international inspections of its nuclear facilities in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. In describing the negotiating challenges, Malley later wrote in The Atlantic, "The real choice in 2015 was between achieving a deal that constrained the size of Iran's nuclear program for many years and ensured intrusive inspections forever, or not getting one, meaning no restrictions at all coupled with much less verification. [26]

Return to International Crisis Group

After Obama left office, Malley returned to the International Crisis Group, serving as the new Vice President for Policy. He served till 2021 and was succeeded by Comfort Ero [27]

Service and Suspension as Special Envoy to Iran

On January 28, 2021, President Biden named Malley U.S. special envoy to Iran, where he was tasked with trying to ease diplomatic tensions with Iran and rein in its nuclear program by compliance to the original pact. [28] [29]

In late April or early May 2023, Malley's security clearance was suspended. An investigation was launched into his possible mishandling of classified material. At the time, the State Department made misleading statements that Malley was only stepping back from some of his duties for personal reasons. [30] The investigation was later referred to the FBI. [12] Malley said that he did not know why his clearance was suspended and hoped it will be reinstated soon. [30] Former US officials have stated that it is rare for a diplomat to have security clearances suspended over single or minor mistakes relating to classified material, indicating that a major incident may have led to the clearance suspension and FBI investigation. [31]

Despite the suspension of his security clearance, Malley continued doing State Department work, including providing media interviews. On June 29, 2023, Malley was placed on unpaid leave as special envoy to Iran after CNN reported on his security clearance suspension. [13] [31] In March 2023, Malley was replaced in his role by Abram Paley as acting Special Envoy for Iran. [32] [33]

In August 2023, an Iranian state-run media outlet published a purported State Department memo from April 21, 2023, which stated that Malley's security clearance was suspended over "serious security concerns" related to his "personal conduct", "handling of protected information" and "use of information technology". The memo's veracity was backed by a person familiar with the Malley investigation, according to Politico. Former State Department officials have also confirmed that the memo matches standard State Department style. [34]

The State Department did not immediately notify members of Congress of Malley's security clearance suspension. When Malley failed to appear for a Senate briefing, the State Department claimed to Congress that he was on "extended personal leave". [31] In response to the failure of the State Department to inform lawmakers of Malley's security clearance revocation, House Republicans introduced a bill to require Congressional notification in the event that top diplomats, such as special envoys, have their security clearances revoked. [30]

Views

Malley has published several articles on the failed 2000 Camp David Summit in which he participated as a member of the U.S. negotiating team. Malley rejects the mainstream opinion that lays all the blame for the failure of the summit on Arafat and the Palestinian delegation. In his analysis, the main reasons were the tactics of then-Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak and the substance of his proposal which made it impossible for Arafat to accept Barak's offer. [3]

Malley argues that negotiations with the Palestinians today must include Hamas because the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is no longer considered the Palestinian people's sole legitimate representative. [35] He describes the PLO as antiquated, worn out, barely functioning, and, because it does not include the broad Islamist current principally represented by Hamas, of questionable authority. Malley favors negotiating with Hamas at least for the purpose of a ceasefire—citing Hamas officials in Gaza who made clear they were prepared for such an agreement with Israel. [36]

In 2008, he supported efforts to reach an Israel-Hamas ceasefire, including an immediate end to Palestinian rocket launches and sniper fire and a freeze on Israeli military attacks on Gaza. Malley's arguments rested on both humanitarian and practical grounds. Malley pointed to the blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip had not stopped Hamas's rocket attacks on nearby Israeli towns and claimed that the siege caused millions of Gazans to suffer from lack of medicine, fuel, electricity and other essential commodities. Thus, a cease-fire would avoid "enormous loss of life, a generation of radicalized and embittered Gazans, and another bankrupt peace process." [36]

Malley has published many articles in which he calls upon the Israelis (and the international community) to bring Hamas to the negotiating table in order to secure an Israeli–Palestinian ceasefire and ensure that any agreement reached with Palestinians will be respected by the Islamist movements in Palestinian society too.

In addition, Malley calls for Israel, the Palestinians, Lebanon, Syria and other Arab countries to resume negotiations on all tracks based on the Arab Peace Initiative. This promises full Arab recognition and normalization of relations with Israel in exchange for a withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied territories to the pre-1967 border (Green Line), the recognition of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and a "just solution" for Palestinian refugees. [35]

"Today, Malley still stands out for his calls to engage in negotiations with Syria and Iran and for finding 'some kind of accommodation' with Hamas", The Jewish Daily Forward reported in February 2008. [20]

Criticism

Malley was criticized after co-authoring an article in the July 8, 2001, edition of The New York Times arguing that the blame the failure of the 2000 Camp David Summit should be divided among all three leaders who were present at the summit, Arafat, Barak, and Bill Clinton, not just Arafat, as was suggested by some mainstream policy analysts. [37] "Later, however, other scholars and former officials voiced similar views to those of Malley", according to a February 20, 2008, article in The Jewish Daily Forward . [20]

Malley and his views have come under attack from other critics, such as Martin Peretz of the magazine The New Republic , who has opined that Malley is "anti-Israel", a "rabid hater of Israel. No question about it", and that several of his articles in the New York Review of Books were "deceitful". [38] On the conservative webzine The American Thinker , Ed Lasky asserted that Malley "represents the next generation of anti-Israel activism." [20]

Malley told the Jewish Daily Forward that "it tends to cross the line when it becomes as personal and as un-based in facts as some of these have been". While he loved and respected his father, he said, their views sometimes differed, and it is "an odd guilt by association" fallacy to criticize him based on his father's views. [20] Simon Malley was called a sympathizer of the PLO by Daniel Pipes. [39]

In response to what they called "vicious, personal attacks" on Malley, five Jewish, former U.S. government officials—former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger, Ambassador Martin Indyk, Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer, Ambassador Dennis Ross, and former State Department Senior Advisor Aaron David Miller—published a letter (dated February 12, 2008) in the New York Review of Books defending Malley. [20] They wrote that the attacks on Malley were "unfair, inappropriate, and wrong", and objected to what they called an attempt "to undermine the credibility of a talented public servant who has worked tirelessly over the years to promote Arab–Israeli peace and US national interests." [40] This view is also shared by M.J. Rosenberg, a former editor at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and a controversial critic of Israeli policies, [41] who condemned the attacks on Malley, writing that Malley is "pro-Israel" and the only reason he is being criticized is because he supports Israeli–Palestinian negotiations. [42]

In October 2022, following a massive demonstration by Iranians in Berlin [43] and elsewhere including Washington, D.C. [44] in support of protests in Iran, [45] Malley tweeted that [46] "Marchers in Washington and cities around the world are showing their support for the Iranian people, who continue to peacefully demonstrate for their government to respect their dignity and human rights." He came under fire by Iranians and non-Iranians for undermining the protests in Iran to a mere demand for respect and some asked him to step down from his position. In response, he accepted that his words "were poorly worded". [47] In his interview with Iran International, he stressed that ""It is not up to me; it is not up to the US government what the brave women and men who have been demonstrating in Iran want. It is up to them.". [47] Despite Malley's apology, Masih Alinejad, Iranian-American journalist and human right activist started a petition to remove him from his post as Special US Envoy for Iran. The petition demands that President Biden "appoint a new Special Envoy that the people in the U.S. and in Iran can trust and respect as a symbol of America's commitment to freedom and democracy." [48]

Selected publications

Books:

Book chapters:

Journal articles:

Newspaper and magazine articles:

See also

References

  1. "Rob Malley, Obama's New ISIS Czar, Is a 'Trusted' But Controversial Pick". NBC News. December 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Robert Malley biography page". International Crisis Group. Archived from the original on April 10, 2008. Retrieved April 21, 2008.
  3. 1 2 Malley, Robert; Agha, Hussein (August 9, 2001). "Camp David: The Tragedy of Errors". New York Review of Books. Retrieved October 9, 2023. On March 6th, 2015, the White House announced that he would become the Special Assistant to the President and White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf Region, replacing Phil Gordon.
  4. White House names Israel critic to top Mideast post BY JTA, March 8, 2015, 3:13 pm 36
  5. "White House appoints new ISIS czar". CBS News . November 30, 2015.
  6. "Robert Malley". Crisis Group. April 14, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  7. "A test of Biden's commitment to diplomacy: Appointing Rob Malley as Iran envoy". Salon. January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  8. Spetalnick, Matt; Mohammed, Arshad (January 28, 2021). "Former Obama aide Malley named Biden's top envoy on Iran: official". Reuters. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  9. Stephens, Bret (October 3, 2023). "Opinion | Iran's Captive Minds". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  10. Sharaferdin, Bozorgmehr. "Inside Tehran's Soft War". content.iranintl.com. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  11. Lawler, Dave; Ravid, Barak (January 29, 2021). "Biden picks Rob Malley as envoy for Iran". Axios. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  12. 1 2 "FBI looking into Biden Iran envoy Rob Malley over handling of classified material, multiple sources say". CBS News. July 10, 2023.
  13. 1 2 "Biden's Iran envoy placed on leave after security clearance suspended amid investigation into possible mishandling of classified material, sources say". CNN. June 29, 2023. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  14. Brittain, Victoria (September 27, 2006). "Simon Malley, Journalist with rare insight into Africa's anti-colonial struggles". The Guardian .
  15. "An Anti-Imperialist Father and His American Diplomat Son". Jewish Currents. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  16. Brittain, Victoria (September 27, 2006). "Obituary: Simon Malley". Guardian. London. Retrieved April 21, 2008.
  17. "Antony Blinken, courtly new top US diplomat, preaches humility and intervention". France 24. January 26, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  18. Simon Malley, journaliste, Le Monde, September 9, 2006
  19. 1 2 3 4 "President Names Statement by the Press Secretary on Robert Malley Appointment" (Press release). Archived from the original on September 12, 2004. Retrieved April 21, 2008.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Guttman, Nathan (February 20, 2006). "Peace Negotiator Who Advised Obama Campaign Strikes Back at Critics". Jewish Daily Forward. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  21. "The Call From Algeria". University of California Press. November 1996. Retrieved April 21, 2008.
  22. 1 2 Baldwin, Tom (May 10, 2008). "Barack Obama sacks adviser over talks with Hamas". The Times . London. Archived from the original on May 12, 2008. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  23. "Informal Obama Adviser Steps Aside Over Hamas Talks". First Read blog at MSNBC website, report by Andrea Mitchell. May 9, 2008. Archived from the original on May 10, 2008. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  24. "Ex-Clinton aide returns to White House with Persian Gulf brief". Haaretz. February 19, 2014. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  25. Statement by NSC Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan on the Special Assistant to the President and White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf Region, WhiteHouse.gov
  26. Malley, Philip Gordon, Robert (January 21, 2018). "Destroying the Iran Deal While Claiming to Save It". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 26, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  27. "Comfort Ero".
  28. Jakes, Lara; Crowley, Michael (January 29, 2021). "U.S. Names Iran Envoy in Battle of Wills With Tehran Over Nuclear Negotiations". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  29. Reuters and Lahav Harkov. (30 January 2021). "Iran rejects new players and new negotiations of nuclear deal". Jerusalem Post website Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  30. 1 2 3 "GOP bill would make State tell the Hill when top diplomats lose clearances". Politico. October 31, 2023.
  31. 1 2 3 "'It's not good': GOP angry over Biden team's handling of Iran envoy probe". Politico. July 12, 2023.
  32. "Biden's Iran envoy benched amid investigation, security clearance suspension: reports". The Hill. June 29, 2023.
  33. "When States Take Hostages: Responding to Iran and other Perpetrators". Iranian Studies. October 24, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  34. "An Iran mouthpiece's 'scoop' draws Republican ire". Politico. August 28, 2023.
  35. 1 2 Malley, Robert; Hussein Agha (May 10, 2007). "The Road to Mecca". New York Review of Books. Retrieved April 21, 2008.
  36. 1 2 Malley, Robert (January 21, 2008). "The Gaza Time Bomb". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved April 21, 2008.
  37. Malley, Robert (July 8, 2001). "Fictions About the Failure At Camp David". New York Times .
  38. Peretz, Martin (January 31, 2008). "Can Friends of Israel — and Jews — Trust Obama? In a word, yes". The New Republic. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  39. Pipes, Daniel, The Long Shadow: Culture and Politics in the Middle East Transaction Publishers: 1989. ISBN   0-88738-849-3, p 137, as presented in a Google Books search. Retrieved on January 27, 2008
  40. Letters to the NYRB: In Defense of Robert Malley New York Review of Books , March 20, 2008 p. 53
  41. "Rosenberg leaves Media Matters". Jewish Journal. JTA. April 6, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  42. Rosenberg, Michael (February 18, 2008). "Smearing Rob Malley". The Huffington Post. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
  43. "Iran protests: Huge rally in Berlin in support". BBC News. October 23, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  44. "Thousands march in Washington to support protesters in Iran". October 22, 2022.
  45. 2021–2022 Iranian protests
  46. @USEnvoyIran (October 23, 2022). "Marchers in Washington and cities around the world are showing their support for the Iranian people, who continue to peacefully demonstrate for their government to respect their dignity and human rights" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  47. 1 2 "Exclusive: US Special Envoy Says He Chose the Wrong Words on Iran Protests".
  48. "مسیح علی‌نژاد با راه‌اندازی کارزاری اینترنتی خواهان برکناری رابرت مالی شد". May 16, 2023.
Robert Malley
Rob Malley with Terje Rod-Larsen (34151094460) (cropped).jpg
United States Special Envoy
for Iran
In office
January 28, 2021 June 29, 2023
On leave