Michael Dougall Bell

Michael Dougall Bell
Canada Ambassador to Jordan
In office 1987–1990
Preceded by	Gary Richard Harman
Succeeded by	Arthur Percy Sherwood
Canada Ambassador to Israel
In office 1990–1992
Preceded by	James K. Bartleman
Succeeded by	Norman Spector
Canada Ambassador to Cyprus
In office 1991–1992
Preceded by	James K. Bartleman
Succeeded by	Norman Spector
Canada Ambassador to Egypt
In office 1994–1998
Preceded by	Jacques T. Simard
Succeeded by	Marie-Andrée Beauchemin
Canada Ambassador to Israel
In office 1999–2003
Preceded by	David Berger
Succeeded by	Donald Sinclair
Personal details
Born	September 10, 1943 Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Nationality	Canadian
Residence	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater	University of Windsor

Michael Dougall Bell is a former Canadian Foreign Service Officer with 36 years experience in the Department of Foreign Affairs, mostly focused on the Middle East. He was Canada's Ambassador to Jordan (1987–90), Egypt (1994–98), and Israel (1990–92 and 1999–2003). Also former Chair of the Donor Committee of the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq.

Early life

Bell was born on September 10, 1943 in Windsor, Ontario. He attended Assumption College School from 1958–1962, and later attended the University of Windsor. At Windsor he received his B.A. Hons (1966) and M.A. (1967) in Political Science and Economic Studies.

Foreign Service

After completing his M.A. he joined the Canadian Foreign Service, holding early positions in Kingston, Jamaica (1968–1970), Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (1970–1972), and Rome, Italy (1981–1983). He Also Served as the Senior Political Officer in Tel Aviv, Israel from 1975 to 1978. He was Executive Assistant for Middle East Affairs to the Honourable Robert Stanfield (1978–1979), and Director of the Middle East Relations Division (1983–1987), Director General for Central and Eastern Europe (1992–1994).

After the Foreign Service

Bell served as the Fellow at the Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs at Harvard University (1998–99) and from 2003-2005 he was Senior Scholar on Diplomacy at the Munk Centre for International Studies, at the University of Toronto.^[1]

Current work

Michael Bell is currently the Paul Martin (Sr.) Senior Scholar on International Diplomacy at the University of Windsor, where he teaches on the law and politics of the modern Middle East. He is also engaged in a major study on the future governance of Jerusalem’s Old City. The project is designed to stimulate thinking amongst decision makers, respecting options for the future governance of the old city for possible use by negotiators, in the event of renewed negotiations for a comprehensive peace between Israelis and Palestinians.^[2]

Bell has been a contributor to the Globe and Mail. He has also published in the Literary Review of Canada, the Behind the Headlines series of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs, Idea&s: the Arts and Science Review of the University of Toronto, the International Journal, and the Journal of International Law and International Relations.^[3] He also frequently appears on national radio and television as a middle east expert.^[4]

References

External links

• Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada Complete List of Posts
• Michael Bell's Website at the University of Windsor