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Analysis

Ministers in Israel’s 33rd Government

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Likud-Beitenu

Benjamin Netanyahu- Prime Minister (member of security cabinet)

  • Prime Minister since 2009 and also from 1996 to 1999.
  • A former elite commando who grew to prominence as Israel’s Ambassador at the UN and has been a Likud MK since 1988.
  • Conservative figure from an ideological right-wing background but accepted the idea of a Palestinian state in 2009.

Avigdor Lieberman – Position of Foreign Minister and member of security cabinet reserved pending on-going trial

  • Outspoken right-wing politician and leader of Yisrael Beitenu, he served as Foreign Minister in the last government.
  • Born in Moldova he has a large base of support among Israel’s Russian immigrant community.
  • Served as Netanyahu’s chief of staff in his first term before launching his own political career.

Moshe “Bogie” Ya’alon – Defence Minister (member of security cabinet)

  • A former Chief of Staff of the IDF, his military career spanned five decades.
  • Ya’alon Joined Likud in 2008 and served as Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Strategic Affairs
  • He is seen as hawkish on the Palestinian issue, but more cautious on military action against Iran.

Gideon Sa’ar – Interior Minister (member of security cabinet)

  • Previously served as Education Minister in Netanyahu’s last government.
  • He is an extremely popular figure within the Likud party and places highly in Likud primaries.

Silvan Shalom – Minister of Energy and Minister of Galil & Negev Development (member of security cabinet)

  • In a political career spanning 20 years, Shalom has been Minister for the Development of the Galil & Negev, Foreign Minister, Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. He is a member of Likud.

Yisrael Katz – Transport Minister

  • Katz has served as Minister of Transport for the last three years and is President of the Likud Party Convention.
  • He been a regular member of the Cabinet over the last decade and served as Agriculture Minister during Sharon’s premiership.

 Gilad Erdan Home Front Security and Communications Minister (member of security cabinet)

  • Other responsibilities will also include US-Israel strategic relationship, the Israel Broadcast Agency and the Government Publications Bureau.
  • He has been a Likud MK since 2003.

 Limor Livnat – Culture and Sports Minister

  • Livnat has held the position of Culture and Sports Minister since 2009 and has been a member of the Knesset for Likud since 1992.

 Yitzhak Aharonovitch – Interior Security Minister

  • A member of the Yisrael Beitenu Party, he retains his portfolio as Minister of Interior Security.
  • He was first elected to the Knesset in 2006 after a career as a senior police officer.

 Yair Shamir – Agriculture Minister

  • The son of former Prime Minister, Yitzhak Shamir, this is his first ministerial role, having joined Yisrael Beitenu in 2012.
  • Shamir was a leading businessman and chairman of some of Israel’s leading companies, including, El Al and Israel Aerospace Industries.

 Sofa Landver – Immigration and Absorption Minister

  • A member of Yisrael Beitenu, Landver has held the position of Immigration and Absorption Minister since 2009.

 Yuval Steinitz – International Relations Minister

  • A close ally of Netanyahu, he was the Finance Minister in the previous government.
  • A former philosophy lecturer, he joined Peace Now in the 1980s but later joined Likud after the Oslo Accords.

Uzi Landau – Tourism Minister

  • He joined Yisrael-Beitenu after a long political career with Likud, where he had served as Minister of Internal Security in the Sharon government.

 Yesh Atid

Yair Lapid – Finance Minister (member of security cabinet)

  • Leader of the newly formed Yesh Atid Party, this is his first term as an MK.
  • Former TV news anchor and the son of the late secular political leader Tommy Lapid.
  • He is primarily a proponent of domestic reform, but also a vocal supporter of the two-state solution.

 Shair Piron – Education Minister

  • This is first term as an MK and he is an ordained Rabbi.
  • He was previously the CEO of ‘Hakol L’Chinuch’ (everything to education) which works to improve the standard of state education.

 Meir Cohen – Welfare Minister

  • A first time MK, he was previously the Mayor of Dimona.
  • He was formerly a head teacher in Dimona and a member of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Agency.

 Yael German – Health Minister

  • A first time MK, she was previously Mayor of Herzliya.

 Yaakov Peri – Science Minister

  • A first term as an MK, he is a former head of the Israeli security Agency, Shin Bet.
  • He was CEO of major Israeli cell phone operator ‘Cellcom’ between 1995 and 2003.
  • He was voted the 125th greatest Israeli of all time.

Habayit Hayehudi

Naftali Bennett – Economy and Trade Minister (member of security cabinet)

  • He is the leader the of the rejuvenated religious-Zionist movement.
  • Served as Netanyahu’s Chief of Staff between 2006 and 2008 and was head of the Yesha Council (settler movement) between 2010 and 2012.
  • He served in an elite commando unit in the army and was a successful software entrepreneur.

 Uri Ariel – Housing and Construction Minister

  • As a member of the right-wing National Union Party and a leading figure in the settler movement, he has been an MK since 2001 and this is his first ministerial position.

 Uri Orbach – Pensioners Minister

  • A journalist and children’s author, he was the Deputy Speaker of the Knesset during his first term as an MK from 2009.

Hatnua

Tzipi Livni – Justice Minister, Minister responsible for negotiations with the Palestinians (member of security cabinet)

  • A former Foreign Minister and leader of the opposition as leader of Kadima.
  • Though coming from a right-wing ideological family and a career in Likud, she is now the leading proponent of the peace process and founded the Hatnua Party just seven weeks before the elections.

 Amir Peretz – Environment Minister

  • He was an MK with Labour from 1988 before joining Hatnua for the 2013 elections.
  • He is a former head of Israel’s trade union movement.

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