Uri Savir (; 7 January 1953 – 14 May 2022) was an Israeli diplomat and politician. He was Israel's chief negotiator for the Oslo Accords and served as a Member of Knesset (MK) from 1999 to 2001.
Early life
Savir was born in Jerusalem on 7 January 1953. His father, Leo, co-founded the Israeli Foreign Service. Savir studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in international relations.
Career
Savir first worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an information officer at the Israeli embassy in Canada, before acting as a press officer at the consulate in New York City. Savir was subsequently appointed consul-general in New York in 1988, serving in that role for four years.
Savir was named director-general of the Foreign Ministry in 1993 by Peres, He was also a member of the Israeli delegation for negotiations with Jordan that resulted in the Israel–Jordan peace treaty in 1994, as well as head of the delegation for talks with Syria from 1995 to 1996. Three weeks later on 28 March, he resigned from the Knesset, and was replaced by David Magen, who represented the Centre Party. During Savir's time in the Knesset he served on a number of committees, including the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. He also co-founded the Peres Center for Peace in 1996 and served as its director-general until 1999.
Personal life
Savir was married to Aliza until his death. Together, they had one daughter, Maya Savir.