Israel Katz, previously the Foreign Minister of Israel, has been named the new Defence Minister by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This appointment follows the dismissal of Yoav Gallant, whom Netanyahu said he no longer trusted with the management of military operations, which include ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.

Katz was born in 1955 in Ashkelon and served as a paratrooper in the Israeli military from 1973 to 1977, although he does not have senior military command experience like his predecessor Gallant, who had a military general background.

Katz, affiliated with the Likud party, has been a Knesset member since 1998, working on committees for foreign affairs, defense, and justice.

Throughout his career, Katz has held various ministerial roles, including those of agriculture, transport, intelligence, finance, energy, and starting in 2019, foreign minister.

Known for his hardline stance, Katz notably declared UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres persona non grata in 2023 and initiated legal proceedings against French President Emmanuel Macron for excluding Israeli firms from a military trade show.

Despite being low-profile during the interactions with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Katz has maintained an active role in Israel’s politics.

Katz obtained his higher education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and is married with two children.