As of August 2026, Dr. Emmanuel Navon is the Ambassador-designate of Israel to Japan. Before entering diplomatic service, he pursued a twenty-five-year career in academia, teaching and writing on international relations while also leading public-policy institutions, addressing audiences around the world, and contributing extensively to international media.

Navon taught for twenty-four years at Tel Aviv University, where he received the Faculty of Social Sciences’ Teaching Excellence Award in 2022. He also taught at Reichman University, Bar-Ilan University, Israel’s National Security College, and Félix Houphouët-Boigny University in Côte d’Ivoire. His work has focused on diplomacy, international order, Israeli foreign policy, Europe, the Middle East, and the strategic transformations reshaping Asia and the Indo-Pacific.

He is the author of several books on international affairs and Israel’s diplomacy. His best-known work, The Star and the Scepter: A Diplomatic History of Israel, has been translated into Japanese, Hebrew, Chinese, French, and Italian. His upcoming book, The Continent and the High Seas, examines the origins and evolution of the international system and considers how changes in power, technology, geography, and political ideas may shape its future.

Alongside his academic career, Navon held senior leadership positions in foreign-policy and public-policy organizations. He founded and served as CEO of the Euro-Med Middle East Council (EM2C), which promotes strategic cooperation among Europe, Israel, and partners across the Mediterranean and beyond. He previously served as CEO of ELNET-Israel and as a Senior Fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security. Earlier in his career, he headed an academic department and worked on international consulting and development projects in Europe and Africa.

An experienced public speaker and media commentator, Navon has addressed diplomatic, governmental, academic, business, and professional audiences across Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia. He has provided analysis of international affairs and Israeli foreign policy for television, radio, print, and digital media, and has participated extensively in international conferences, policy forums, and strategic dialogues.

Born in Paris in 1971, Navon immigrated to Israel in 1993. He graduated from Sciences Po Paris and earned a doctorate in international relations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He speaks Hebrew, English, and French, has knowledge of German and Italian, and is studying Japanese.

He is married, a father and grandfather, and an active triathlete.