About

Sami Miaari is an Associate Professor of Economics in the Department of Labor Studies at Tel Aviv University. He earned his B.A. in Economics and Mathematics in 2000, his M.A. with honors in Economics in 2003, and his PhD in 2008, all from the Hebrew University. His doctoral research focused on the economic costs of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

He was the Henry Hart Rice Visiting Associate Professor at Yale University for the 2024–2025 academic year and a research fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University from 2017 to 2019. Between 2008 and 2009, he conducted postdoctoral research at the European University Institute. In 2011, he joined the German Institute for Economic Research, DIW Berlin, Germany, as a senior research fellow, where he worked on a study examining the impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on students’ learning achievements. In 2011, he also joined the University of California, San Diego as a research fellow.  

His fields of research include labour economics, political economy, the economic costs of conflict, the economic and political determinants of violence in developing countries, and economic inequality. 


With over two decades of experience in academia, public policy, and economic innovation, Professor Miaari is recognized for his pioneering work on the economic dimensions of intergroup conflict. His research offers practical insights into conflict resolution and serves as a foundation for evidence-based policymaking, particularly in contexts requiring substantial investment. He emphasizes the importance of establishing causal relationships in economic analysis to guide effective and targeted policy interventions. His papers have been published by, among others, The Journal of Population Economics, Journal of Public Economics, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of economic Behavior & Organization, Labor Economics, Journal of the European Economic Association, Review of economics of the Household, Defense and Peace Economics, International Labour Review, Conflict Management and Peace Science, Journal of Human Resources, Journal of Development studies, Acta Politica, Climate Change Economics and Oxford University Press. 

Beyond academia, Professor Miaari is an expert in the fields of fintech, innovation, and financial education, with a particular focus on youth and elderly individuals in minority communities.  His work addresses how financial services can be tailored to better meet the needs of these groups. Since 2020, he has served as a board director at United Sick Fund – Meuhedet and, since 2016, as a director for public organizations such as Another Lesson. 

In recognition of his scholarly contributions, he has received several prestigious awards, including the Best Paper Award from the Middle East Economic Association in 2016, the Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship in 2017, and a Ma’of Grant from Israel’s Council for Higher Education in 2012. 

Professor Miaari has also led key international projects, including work with the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) between 2012 and 2014. He served as an economist at the World Bank from 2004 to 2008 and as a consultant for the World Bank (2012–2022) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2009. In 2012, Professor Miaari founded the Arab Economic Forum – an institute for economic and social research and strategic planning, and a business network for the Arab community in Israel. As part of his work as Chairman of the Forum, he advises large Arab companies on stock market flotations and major investments. He currently continues to give lectures, on a volunteer basis, to Arab high-school on topics related to guiding studies.

  • Doctor of Economics, Hebrew University, 2008 (advisor: Prof. Eitan Shashinsky) 
  • MA with honors in Economics, Hebrew University, 2003 
  • BA in Economics and Mathematics, Hebrew University, 2000 
  • Training Certificates: Directors and Functionaries, Tel Aviv University, Lahav, 2020. Writing Business Plans, Israel Directors’ Association, 2020. Analyzing Financial Reports and Companies’ Worth, 2020. Practical Economist, 2021. Data Scientist and Machine Learning, 2021.

Past Professional Activities

  • Economic Consultant for the Bank of Israel on matters of economy and Arab society, 2021-2023. 
  • Chairman of the Business Development Committee at the "United Sick Fund – Meuchedet." 2023-2024.
  • Board member of "15 Minutes Organization", Israel, 2020-2024. Economic Consultant, World Bank, 2004-2008, 2014-2016, 2019-2020. 
  • Senior economic advisor to the Ministry of Regional Cooperation, Israel,2021. Board member of "A Different Lesson Organization," Israel, 2016-2023. 
  • Member, Economic Authority, Lahav – Bureau of Self-Employed Organisations in Israel, 2017-2020.
  • Chairman, Economic Team, Road Map to a Shared Society, Givat Haviva, 2015-2017. 
  • Steering Committee Member, project for examining Government Policy toward the Arab Population, Tel Aviv University, 2014-2016.
  • Steering Committee Member, the Forum for Super-Strategy, the Samuel Neaman Institute and the Israeli Institute for Economic Planning, 2014-2016.
  • Steering Committee Member, Transparency in Regional Councils Project, International Transparency NGO, Israel, 2014-2016. 
  • Program Director, Arab-Israeli Relations, the Israel Institute for Democracy, Israel, 2013-2016.
  • Researcher, Department of International Development (DFID), UK, 2012-2014.
  • Economic Consultant, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), UK, 2012-2014. CEO (founder), the Arab Economic Forum – an Institute for Economic-Social Research and Strategic Planning, 2012-2023.
  • Senior Researcher, the Israeli Institute for Democracy, Israel, 2011-2012.
  • Economic Consultant, International Monetary Fund (IMF), 2009-2010.
  • Steering Committee member, Equality Index Project, Sikkuy Organization, 2008.
  • Researcher, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Israel, 2003-2004.