Israel Katz, the former foreign minister of Israel, has been appointed the new defense minister after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Yoav Gallant from the position. Netanyahu cited a lack of trust in Gallant’s handling of Israel’s military operations, particularly in relation to the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.
Here are key details about Katz:
- Early Life and Military Service: Born in 1955 in Ashkelon, Israel, Katz was drafted into the Israeli military in 1973 and served as a paratrooper. He left the military in 1977. Unlike Gallant, Katz has never held a senior military command position.
- Political Career: Katz has been a member of Israel’s right-wing Likud party since the late 1990s and has served in the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) since 1998. Throughout his political career, Katz has worked on several committees, including those for defense, foreign affairs, and justice.
- Previous Ministerial Roles: Over the past two decades, Katz has held multiple ministerial positions, including roles in agriculture, transport, intelligence, finance, and energy. He served as Israel’s foreign minister starting in 2019.
- Foreign Policy Actions: As foreign minister, Katz made bold moves in Israel’s foreign policy. In October, he declared U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres persona non grata, accusing him of failing to condemn Iran’s missile strike on Israel and for what Katz saw as antisemitic behavior. In the same month, Katz initiated legal action against French President Emmanuel Macron after Paris banned Israeli companies from participating in a military trade event.
- Relations with the U.S.: Katz has kept a lower profile in Israel’s dealings with the United States. While U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made multiple visits to Israel since October 2023, Katz met with Blinken only a few times, while Gallant had more frequent discussions with the U.S. diplomat.
- Education and Family: Katz earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is married and has two children.