Gaza Peace Board Hires Ex-Biden Liaison to Court Democratic Lawmakers

Shelley Greenspan begins her new role next week as a senior adviser to the Board of Peace. She will focus on building support among Democratic members of Congress for President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan.

The Board of Peace is actively seeking bipartisan backing for its 20-point strategy. The goal is to ensure the plan and the board itself have durability beyond the current Republican administration. Officials want a future Democratic president to continue the work if elected in 2028.

Greenspan will report to Josh Gruenbaum and Aryeh Lightstone, both senior advisers to the Board. Her appointment targets the specific gap in congressional support that has historically plagued foreign policy initiatives. The administration views her hiring as a way to lock in legislative commitment.

The strategy mirrors lessons from the Abraham Accords. In 2020, Trump announced normalization deals between Israel and several Arab states. However, the Biden administration did not advance new agreements after taking office in January 2021. Some officials avoided using the term Abraham Accords for years.

It was not until June 2023 that Secretary of State Antony Blinken appointed Dan Shapiro to expand the accords. Shapiro served as a senior adviser for regional integration at the State Department. The delay suggests the new board wants to avoid similar friction with future administrations.

Greenspan brings extensive experience from both parties. She served as President Joe Biden’s liaison to the Jewish community in 2022. Prior to that, she worked on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign research team. She also held policy and management roles at Amazon and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Her background includes positions at the State Department and the National Security Council. In those roles, she focused on global partnerships. The Board of Peace stated that she has earned trust across the aisle through her service in Democratic and Republican administrations.

In a statement, Greenspan said she was honored to join the board at a consequential time. She referenced her previous work advancing the president’s vision for the Middle East. She noted that the 20-point plan can deliver tangible results for the peoples of Gaza and Israel.

Several prominent Democrats have already voiced support for the plan. Former US ambassador to Israel Jack Lew and former senior adviser Brett McGurk have expressed their backing. Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state, wrote in the Financial Times that the plan is the only framework with sufficient leverage to move parties toward implementation.

The Board of Peace said Greenspan is uniquely capable of leading this congressional effort. They emphasized that sustained support from Congress is essential to the work ahead. Her role will be central to translating the political consensus into legislative action.