This article examines how states select and mobilize powerful and well-connected diaspora individuals to advance their national interests abroad. It argues that such mobilization is both tailored and personalized: governments assess whether a given diasporan possesses the position, networks, and influence required to complete a specific task, and whether they are likely to accept the role, based on their prior interactions with the state and their personal values. The theoretical argument is illustrated through a historical analysis of three prominent Jewish individuals in the United States whom Israel engaged to promote its security and foreign policy objectives during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s: businessman and political fundraiser Abraham "Abe" Feinberg, who maintained close ties to the Democratic administrations of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson; Republican Senator Jacob Javits; and public relations specialist Julius Klein, whose extensive network spanned the United States and West Germany. Drawing on archival research conducted in both the United States and Israel, the article underscores the significance of interpersonal relations and mutual trust in the practice of diaspora diplomacy.

For the full article