Shelley Greenspan Joins Board of Peace to Court Democratic Lawmakers

The Board of Peace appointed Shelley Greenspan to lead congressional outreach, a move designed to secure Democratic votes for the administration’s 20-point Gaza peace plan. Greenspan served as President Joe Biden’s liaison to the Jewish community from 2022 until the end of his term. She will begin her new role next week, reporting to senior advisers Josh Gruenbaum and Aryeh Lightstone.

The appointment places a former aide to the Democratic Party in charge of building support among the opposition. The administration seeks to establish bipartisan backing for the peace board and the Gaza plan so that the initiatives survive a potential change in White House leadership in 2028. Officials aim to encourage a future Democratic president to continue implementing the plan rather than pausing its progress.

Greenspan’s background includes work on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign research team and management positions at Amazon. She also held policy roles at the State Department and the National Security Council, where she focused on global partnerships. The Board of Peace stated that her experience across administrations allows her to earn trust from both sides of the aisle.

In a statement, the Board described Greenspan as uniquely capable of leading the effort to secure sustained support from Congress. The group emphasized that bipartisan cooperation is essential to the work ahead. Greenspan herself said she was honored to join the board at a consequential time, citing her previous work to advance peace and prosperity in the Middle East at the State Department.

The administration’s strategy mirrors lessons drawn from the Abraham Accords. In 2020, Trump announced normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states. However, the Biden administration did not advance new agreements after taking office in January 2021. Critics noted that the White House was reluctant to use the term “Abraham Accords” to avoid giving Trump credit. It was not until June 2023 that the State Department appointed a special envoy to expand the accords under Secretary Antony Blinken.

Prominent Democrats have already voiced support for the current Gaza plan. Former ambassador Jack Lew, former adviser Brett McGurk, and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton have all endorsed the framework. Clinton wrote in the Financial Times that while the plan was not her first choice, it is the only framework with sufficient leverage and resources to move the parties toward implementation. This public backing provides a foundation for Greenspan to expand in Congress.

The next step involves Greenspan meeting with lawmakers in the coming weeks to discuss the specifics of the 20-point plan. The board will monitor whether these discussions result in formal legislative support or joint statements from Democratic committee chairs. The administration plans to present its findings on bipartisan cohesion to the cabinet later this year.