I currently hold my dream job. As a graduate student of International Affairs, I concentrated in International Security Policy and Conflict Resolution in hopes of doing exactly what I do today. I work in the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) in Jerusalem. The first United Nations Special Coordinator was appointed in 1994 following the signing of the Oslo Accord and was charged with boosting United Nations development assistance, in order to support the regions’ peace process. Additionally the Special Coordinator represented the Secretary-General in discussions relating to the peace process with the parties and the international community. Since 2002, the Special Coordinator has been the Secretary-General’s envoy in the Middle East Quartet.

As a Political Affairs Officer, I work in UNSCO’s office of Political Affairs where I spend much of my time conducting analyses and drafting reports about what is happening in the Middle Eastern region. Our reports are used to brief the Special Coordinator, Headquarters, and even the Security Council. It is also our responsibility to maintain good relationships between the Organization, Israel, Palestinians and other regional players as well as the whole UN system.

The resolution of armed conflicts is an issue close to my heart. I grew up in Israel, and have seen the effects of conflict on the lives of my friends and family. In my youth, I heard many stories of suicide attacks, and even lost some friends in these hostilities. My life and experiences in Israel are what led me to a career in international peace and security.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a tense and divisive one but as international civil servants, we are servants to all humankind and are obliged to have no bias in our work. A lot of the issues we are faced with do not have clear and simple answers which, even when you expect it, can be frustrating. The work is even more challenging when a conflict involves your own country. Luckily, the United Nations provides you with a team of diverse and intelligent individuals who challenge your assumptions and push you to bolster your analyses. The debates within our office are important as they help me to see many sides of an issue and stay abreast of current events.

I work closely with my team, often under tense circumstances. We often have tight deadlines and end up working long hours together. In situations like these, it is important to have a supportive team you can really rely on. I enjoy working with the amazing people in my team; I know I can depend on them and come to them with questions, and they can expect the same from me.

I joined the United Nations with the dream of helping bring peace not only to my region, but to the world. I know this is not going to be easy as there are no obvious paths to success and the challenges are immense. But every action counts and too many lives are affected by conflict; it is up to international organizations like the United Nations to take action. The United Nations is committed to the peaceful resolution of armed conflicts and this is a goal I fully subscribe to.