Prof. Guy Ben-Porat
Cיhair

Guy Ben-Porat (Ph.D., Political Science, Johns Hopkins University 2001) is a professor at the Department of Politics and Government at Ben-Gurion University. His research and publications engage with Israeli and world politics. He is the author of Global Liberalism, Local Populism; Peace and Conflict in Northern Ireland and Israel/Palestine (Syracuse University Press, 2006); Between State and Synagogue (Cambridge University Press, 2012) and co-author of Policing Citizens: Minority Policy in Israel (Cambridge University Press, 2019). His current research engages with policing and security in divided cities and with religion and family values. He teaches courses on International Relations, globalization, religion and politics and on the policing in divided states.
Prof. Sharon Pardo
Senior researcher

Prof. Sharon Pardo (Ph.D., Ghent University, Faculty of Political and Social Studies) is a Jean Monnet Chair ad personam in European Studies in the Department of Politics and Government at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU).
Pardo was the Chairperson of The Simone Veil Research Centre for Contemporary European Studies – The National Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence at BGU,the years 2005 to 2017. and 2020 to 2023
He is the co-editor of Europe and the World book series by Lexington Books. Prof. Pardo served as the Chairperson of the Department of Politics and Government at BGU between the years 2016-2018, and is currently serving as a Senior Adjunct Fellow at the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE), University of Canterbury, New Zealand, a Member of the Academic Council of the European Association of Israel Studies (EAIS), a Member of the Board of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations (ICFR) and of the Israeli Association of International Studies (IAIS) and a Member of the Israel Bar Association. His research interests focus on the legal and political dimensions of European Union foreign and security policy. Prof. Pardo also has a significant interest in the development of the Euro-Mediterranean region, in Israeli-European Union relations and in the Israeli-Canadian relationship. He has published widely on these issues.
Prof. Pardo teaches courses on the European integration process, diplomacy and public international law.
Dr. Hila Zahavi
Director

Hila Zahavi is a graduate of the Department of Politics and Government at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and CSEPS, receiving her PhD in August 2018. Her research dealt with the Bologna Process as part of the European Union's External Action set of interests. Hila holds a Bachelor’s (summa cumme laude) and Master’s degrees in Politics and Governement from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. In addition to her studies, Hila served in various functions at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Hila has worked as the Tempus Corinthiam project coordinator at the Centre of International Academic Affairs at the university. Since 2012, Hila also worked as a project coordinator of the Bologna Training Center (BTC). Hila is currently the Director of the Simone Veil Centre.
Dr. Yuval Reinfeld

Yuval Reinfels is an experienced Lawyer with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. Legal consultant on Privacy Protection, Adoption of Regulation and International Law
Specializes in EU law and international law. Skilled in Entrepreneurship, Venture Capital, Legal Writing, Corporate Law, and Intellectual Property. Strong legal professional with a Master of Laws (LLM) focused in Law from idc herzeliya.
Reinfeld teaches courses on the European Union and Israel relations, European Union as a regulatory power.
Ronny (Aharon) Leshno Yaar

Aharon (Ronny) Leshno-Yaar is a former senior Israeli diplomat, who currently teaches at BGU and focuses on diplomacy in general and Multilateral diplomacy in particular. Ambassador Leshno-Yaar has 40 years of experience in the field of diplomacy, he served as Israel’s ambassador to the U.N. In Geneva (2008-2012) and ambassador to the European Union and NATO in Brussels (2016-2021). He was twice the head of the U.N. and International Organisations Division in Israel’s MFA and also served in embassies of Israel in Washington D.C., Canberra and Singapore. He is a consultant to the World Jewish Congress.
Asaf Porat
Event and project coordinator

Asaf is a B.A student at the Department of Politics Government & the Adenauer Division for the Study of European Politics and Society at Ben Gurion University of the Negev. Asaf works as a coordinator at the Simone Veil Centre.
Roni Yacobi
Website Manager and Event Coordinator

Roni is on her M.A in Politics and Government. She is the Simone Veil Centre's websits manager as well as engaged in the event coordination team.
Gal Shani
Project and Event Coordinator

Gal is a B.A. student at the Department of Politics and Government combined with the Adenauer Division for the Study of European Politics and Society at Ben Gurion University of the Negev. Gal works as a coordinator in projects and events, as a part of at the Simone Veil Centre team.
Avigail Olman
Project Coordinator

Avigail is a B.A. student of Political Science, European Studies, and Conflict Resolution Management at Ben Gurion University of the Negev. Avigail works as a in projects coordinator as a part of at the Simone Veil Centre team.