Category:
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.