The U.S. Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv maintains and promotes
diplomatic and people-to-people relations between the United States and Israel. The Branch Office has as a large staff of officers and specialists who are responsible for all aspects of economic, political, commercial, military, media, educational, cultural, and humanitarian relations. Tel Aviv operates one of the
State Department's busiest Non-Immigrant Visa sections, which produces the highest volume of nonimmigrant visas in the Middle East. The US Citizens Services Unit is the State Department's third largest ACS office overseas, and the volume of U.S. passports issued makes Tel Aviv the second largest passport operation in the world. There is also an American
Consular Agent in
Haifa.
Press and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv The Office of Press and Cultural Affairs is responsible for Branch Office communication through its public website and popular social media platforms. The office maintains a
Facebook page, a
YouTube page, and a
Flickr page (see
External links). It is also responsible for all communication with media organizations in Israel. The office invites Israelis to participate in professional visits to the United States, conducts exchange programs, showcases American culture through visits of visual and performing artists, and invites academics to speak with students, experts and general audiences. The Branch Office reaches thousands of young Israeli Jews and Arabs through English language programs, and provides grants to many
non-government organizations involved in co-existence activities.
The American Center in Jerusalem A public-access American Center in Jerusalem was established in 1968. The staff of the American Center design and oversee educational seminars, exchanges, performances, and grant programs in a wide variety of areas, including cultural diplomacy, sports diplomacy, legal issues, diversity, coexistence, women's issues, human rights, religious tolerance, and English instruction. These activities take place at the Center itself or at partner institutions. The American Center also operates an Information Resource Center, which is open to the public and offers 6,000 reference and circulating books, 1,000 DVDs, 80 periodicals and journals, and access to news and scholarly databases.
Middle East Partnership Initiative The
Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is a
U.S. State Department program that supports political and economic reform efforts in the Middle East and North Africa. Run out of the Public Diplomacy office of the Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv.
The Fulbright Commission for Israel The United States-Israel Educational Foundation (USIEF) was established by the governments of the United States and Israel in 1956 and given responsibility for the administration of Israel's participation in the
Fulbright program. The Ambassador of the United States serves as Honorary Chair of the 8-member USIEF Board. The primary activity of the Fulbright commission for Israel is to strengthen mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of Israel through academic and professional exchanges. In 2011, a total of 73 Fulbright Israel Fellowships were awarded, 40 to Israeli citizens and 33 to American citizens. The United States-Israel Educational Foundation also operates an
EducationUSA Counseling Center which distributes information on post-secondary educational opportunities in the United States. The Counseling Center assists interested candidates in the selection of suitable programs and offers advice in the preparation of application files. The Center provides both group information sessions and individual counseling.
United States Commercial Service in Israel The
United States Commercial Service (USCS) is the trade promotion arm of the
U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration. Located within the Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv, the Commercial Service assists hundreds of Americans each year to learn about opportunities in Israel's economy and to expand their sales in the Israeli market. The Commercial Service also works with individual American States to attract Israeli investment. The goal of the Commercial Service is to broaden and deepen the U.S. exporter base, remove export obstacles for small and medium-sized companies in the United States, advance U.S. business interests abroad, and support job creation in Israel and the United States.
U.S. Agency for International Development in Israel The
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the principal U.S. assistance agency that extends help to countries recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms. Although USAID is separate from the State Department, both report to the
United States Secretary of State. Since 1994, USAID has worked in the
West Bank and
Gaza providing more than $3.4 billion in U.S. economic assistance to Palestinians in the areas of water and sanitation, infrastructure, education, health, economic growth, and democracy. USAID also provides assistance for basic human needs in both the West Bank and Gaza, including emergency food, health care, and access to safe water.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Israel U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Office located within the U.S. Embassy Branch Office Tel Aviv. As the largest investigative arm of the
United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), HSI enhances U.S. national security by conducting international law enforcement operations. The HSI Office in Tel Aviv partners with their Israeli counterparts to combat criminal organizations and prevent terrorist activities. They are charged with enforcing a wide array of laws, including those related to financial crime, trade fraud, and narcotics and cash smuggling. Aside from Tel Aviv, HSI works with 69 offices in 47 countries around the world.
Federal Bureau of Investigation in Israel For nearly seven decades, the
FBI has stationed special agents and other personnel overseas to help protect Americans back home by building relationships with principal law enforcement, intelligence, and security services around the globe that help ensure a prompt and continuous exchange of information. The FBI Legal Attaché in Israel works with the Israeli law enforcement and security agencies to coordinate investigations of interest to both countries.
U.S. Defense Attaché Office in Israel U.S. Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché represents the
U.S. Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Commander of
U.S. Central Command in Israel (European Command prior to 2021). To accomplish this mission U.S. Defense Attaché Office (DAO) personnel advise the U.S. Ambassador to Israel on military matters, implement a variety of bi-lateral military engagement programs, and thoroughly report political-military developments in a timely manner. The USDAO serves as the primary point of contact for all joint U.S.-Israeli military activities and communications on defense matters between the U.S. government and the Government of Israel. ==Jerusalem Embassy Act==