{{Short description|Egyptian-American diplomat}}
{{Short description|Egyptian-American diplomat}}
{{Infobox person
| image = Arafat Helal Clinton.jpg
| birth_name = Gamal Helal
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|03|22}}
| birth_place = [[Asyut]], Egypt
| citizenship = {{hlist|Egypt|United States}}
| education = {{unbulleted list|[[Assiut University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])|[[School for International Training]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]])}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Interpreter|diplomat}}
}}
”’Gamal Helal”’ (born March 22, 1954<ref name=profile>{{cite news |title=In Profile: Gamal Helal |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/25/AR2005072501378.html |work=The Washington Post |date=2005-07-26 |accessdate=2009-03-03}}</ref>) is an [[Egyptian Americans|Egyptian-American]] interpreter and diplomat who translated on behalf of multiple [[President of the United States|Presidents of the United States]] and [[United States Secretary of State|Secretaries of State]].
”’Gamal Helal”’ (born March 22, 1954<ref name=profile>{{cite news |title=In Profile: Gamal Helal |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/25/AR2005072501378.html |work=The Washington Post |date=2005-07-26 |accessdate=2009-03-03}}</ref>) is an [[Egyptian Americans|Egyptian-American]] interpreter and diplomat who translated on behalf of multiple [[President of the United States|Presidents of the United States]] and [[United States Secretary of State|Secretaries of State]].
==Early life==
==Early life==
Helal, a [[Copts in Egypt|Coptic]] [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria|Christian]],<ref name=”BBC”>{{cite news |first=Kim |last=Ghattas |title= America’s Arabic ‘man in the middle’ |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7920182.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=2009-03-03 |access-date=2009-03-03}}</ref> was born in [[Asyut]], Egypt, in 1954 and went on to study at [[Assiut University]], where he earned a B.A.<ref name=profile/> When he was 21 years of age, Helal left Egypt for the United States; studying at [[Vermont]]’s [[School for International Training]], he received an M.A. in cross-culture communication.<ref name=”profile”/> In 1983 Helal officially became a U.S. citizen.<ref name=”WaPo”>{{cite news |first=Robin |last=Wright |title=Veteran Interpreter Has Been at Center of Mideast Talks |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/25/AR2005072501278.html |work=The Washington Post |date=2005-07-26 |access-date=2009-03-03}}</ref>
Helal, a [[Copts in Egypt|Coptic]] [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria|Christian]],<ref name=”BBC”>{{cite news |first=Kim |last=Ghattas |title= America’s Arabic ‘man in the middle’ |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7920182.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=2009-03-03 |access-date=2009-03-03}}</ref> was born in [[Asyut]], Egypt, in 1954 and went on to study at [[Assiut University]], where he earned a .<ref name=profile/> When he was 21 years , left Egypt for the United States studying at [[Vermont]]’s [[School for International Training]] he received an in cross-culture communication.<ref name=”profile”/> In 1983 Helal became a U.S. citizen.<ref name=”WaPo”>{{cite news |first=Robin |last=Wright |title=Veteran Interpreter Has Been at Center of Mideast Talks |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/25/AR2005072501278.html |work=The Washington Post |date=2005-07-26 |access-date=2009-03-03}}</ref>
==Diplomatic career==
==Diplomatic career==
He began his diplomatic career in the mid-1980s when he joined the [[United States Department of State]].<ref name=”Atlantic”>{{cite news |first=David |last=Samuels |title=Grand Illusions |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200706/condoleezza-rice/9 |publisher=The Atlantic |date=June 2007 |access-date=2009-03-03}}</ref> In the lead-up to the [[Gulf War]], Helal interpreted for Secretary of State [[James A. Baker III]] and Iraqi emissary [[Tariq Aziz]] at a meeting in [[Geneva]], [[Switzerland]], at which time Aziz was presented with an ultimatum to withdraw troops from [[Kuwait]].<ref name=WaPo/>
began his diplomatic career in the mid-1980s when he joined the [[United States Department of State]].<ref name=”Atlantic”>{{cite news |first=David |last=Samuels |title=Grand Illusions |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200706/condoleezza-rice/9 |publisher=The Atlantic |date=June 2007 |access-date=2009-03-03}}</ref> In the lead-up to the [[Gulf War]], interpreted for Secretary of State [[James Baker]] and Iraqi emissary [[Tariq Aziz]] at a meeting in [[Geneva]], [[Switzerland]], at which time Aziz was presented with an ultimatum to withdraw troops from [[Kuwait]].<ref name=WaPo/>
By 1993 he was a senior diplomatic interpreter, and later senior policy adviser to [[Dennis Ross]], then the special Middle East coordinator under President [[Bill Clinton]].<ref name=Atlantic/> Ross, reflecting on his engagement in the [[Israeli-Palestinian peace process]], stated that “Most of my meetings with Yasser Arafat would start off with my delegation, but the real work would be done with just Arafat, me and Gamal.”<ref name=”WaPo”/> At the end of Clinton’s term, Helal interpreted between him and Yasser Arafat during peace talks at [[Camp David]], and was once tasked to speak alone with Arafat to try to convince him of the opportunity of the Israeli offer.<ref name=WaPo/>
By 1993 was a senior diplomatic interpreter, and later senior policy adviser to [[Dennis Ross]], then the special Middle East coordinator under President [[Bill Clinton]].<ref name=Atlantic/> Ross, reflecting on his engagement in the [[Israeli-Palestinian peace process]], stated that “Most of my meetings with Yasser Arafat would start off with my delegation, but the real work would be done with just Arafat, me and Gamal.”<ref name=”WaPo”/> Helal interpreted between and Arafat during [[Camp David]], and was once tasked to speak alone with Arafat to try to convince him of the opportunity of the Israeli offer.<ref name=WaPo/>
Helal continued to work under President [[George W. Bush]] and with Secretary of State [[Condoleezza Rice]],<ref name=”Atlantic”/> and was an interpreter and senior adviser on the Middle East for the [[Barack Obama]] administration<ref>{{cite news |first=Kim |last=Ghattas |title=America’s Arabic ‘man in the middle’ |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7920182.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=2009-03-03 |access-date=2009-03-03}}</ref> until he left in October 2009 to launch his own consulting business, named Helal Enterprises.<ref>{{cite news |first=Elise |last=Labott |title=Arabic translator for four presidents calls it a career |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/16/us.translator/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=2009-10-16 |accessdate=2010-02-15}}</ref>
Helal continued to work under President [[George W. Bush]] and with Secretary of State [[Condoleezza Rice]],<ref name=”Atlantic”/> and was an interpreter and senior adviser on the Middle East for the [[Barack Obama]] administration<ref>{{cite news |first=Kim |last=Ghattas |title=America’s Arabic ‘man in the middle’ |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7920182.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=2009-03-03 |access-date=2009-03-03}}</ref> until he left in October 2009 to launch his own consulting business, named Helal Enterprises.<ref>{{cite news |first=Elise |last=Labott |title=Arabic translator for four presidents calls it a career |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/16/us.translator/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=2009-10-16 |accessdate=2010-02-15}}</ref>
Egyptian-American diplomat (born 1954)
Gamal Helal (born March 22, 1954[1]) is an Egyptian-American interpreter and diplomat who translated on behalf of multiple Presidents of the United States and Secretaries of State.
Helal, a Coptic Christian,[2] was born in Asyut, Egypt, in 1954 and went on to study at Assiut University, where he earned a bachelor of arts.[1] When he was 21 years old, he left Egypt for the United States, studying at Vermont‘s School for International Training where he received an master’s degree in cross-culture communication.[1] In 1983, Helal became a U.S. citizen.[3]
Helal began his diplomatic career in the mid-1980s when he joined the United States Department of State.[4] In the lead-up to the Gulf War, he interpreted for Secretary of State James Baker and Iraqi emissary Tariq Aziz at a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, at which time Aziz was presented with an ultimatum to withdraw troops from Kuwait.[3]
By 1993, Helal was a senior diplomatic interpreter, and later senior policy adviser to Dennis Ross, then the special Middle East coordinator under President Bill Clinton.[4] Ross, reflecting on his engagement in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, stated that “Most of my meetings with Yasser Arafat would start off with my delegation, but the real work would be done with just Arafat, me and Gamal.”[3] Helal interpreted between Clinton and Arafat during the 2000 Camp David Summit, and was once tasked to speak alone with Arafat to try to convince him of the opportunity of the Israeli offer.[3]
Helal continued to work under President George W. Bush and with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,[4] and was an interpreter and senior adviser on the Middle East for the Barack Obama administration[5] until he left in October 2009 to launch his own consulting business, named Helal Enterprises.[6]
