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3. Israel’s Diplomatic “Bulldozer” Israel Katz Appointed as Minister of Defense

While the world’s attention is focused on the U.S. presidential election, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed his Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant.

He has promptly replaced him with his Foreign Minister, Israel Katz—a choice that appears deliberate, as Katz is known for his loyalty to the Prime Minister.

The “Bulldozer”

Born on September 21, 1955, in Ashkelon, Israel, Katz is often referred to as a “bulldozer” in Israeli media due to his direct, even abrasive, style. He is also an influential, longstanding political figure within Likud, the main party of the current coalition in Israel—the most right-wing in the country’s history.

Katz has held numerous pivotal ministerial positions through his career, playing a key role in strategic areas ranging from diplomacy to finance.

The future Defense Minister began his military service in 1973 in a paratrooper brigade. He was promoted to officer in 1976, leaving the military a year later to study political science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he earned his degree in the early 1980s.

It was during this period that the young Katz entered politics. Initially the president of the student union, he later joined Likud. He entered the Knesset in 1998 and has since managed to retain his seat in every election.

Katz first joined the government under Ariel Sharon from 2003 to 2006 as Minister of Agriculture. His loyalty to Netanyahu and growing influence within the party secured him ministerial posts once Netanyahu returned as Prime Minister in 2009.

Appointed Minister of Transport and Road Safety at that time, Katz kept his portfolio in Netanyahu’s third government in 2013 and fourth in 2015, with the Intelligence portfolio added to his responsibilities that year.

West Bank

While Katz’s ministry significantly modernized Israeli infrastructure with major projects under his leadership, he also contributed to expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank, notably by strengthening transportation links between settlements and increasing segregation between Israelis and Palestinians. Like Netanyahu, Katz has been openly opposed to the two-state solution.

In 2019, he took over the Foreign Ministry, which he held until 2021. During his tenure, Israel signed the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations with the United Arab Emirates, swiftly followed by Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. During this mandate, he also maintained a firm stance against Iran.

Appointed Minister of Finance in 2021, then Energy Minister in 2022, Katz returned to the Foreign Ministry in January 2024, after the current hostilities began. Defense will therefore be the eighth portfolio for this seasoned politician, whose statements often spark controversy.

Katz is known for targeting world leaders opposed to Israeli military actions, especially in Gaza. In early 2024, he notably declared the current UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, persona non grata in Israel, accusing him of “supporting terrorism.” More recently, he led an international campaign against UNRWA, the agency providing aid to Palestinian refugees.

His appointment to Defense, in the midst of an ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, suggests an escalation in Israeli operations—a hard-line approach likely welcomed by his Prime Minister.