Ministry of Defense (Israel) explained

Agency Name:Ministry of Defense
Nativename:משרד הביטחון
Picture Caption:Ministry of Defense headquarters
Formed:1948
Jurisdiction:Government of Israel
Budget:56 billion New Shekel
Headquarters:Matcal Tower, HaKirya, Tel Aviv
Coordinates:32.0753°N 34.7902°W
Minister1 Name:Yoav Galant
Minister1 Pfo:Minister of Defense

The Ministry of Defense (Hebrew: משרד הביטחון|Misrad HaBitahon|Ministry of Security, acronym: Hebrew: משהב"ט) of the government of Israel, is the governmental department responsible for defending the State of Israel from internal and external military threats. Its political head is the Defense Minister of Israel, and its offices are located in HaKirya, Tel Aviv.

The Ministry of Defense oversees most of the Israeli security forces, including the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Military Industries (IMI), and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).[1]

The ministry was established when the British Mandate of Palestine ended, and the British Army departed Palestine and the State of Israel was formed. This ended the rag-tag militia units during British rule and gave way to the formal defense of the Jewish state.

Minister of Defense

The Defense Minister of Israel (Hebrew: שר הביטחון, Sar HaBitahon, lit. Minister of Security)[2] heads the ministry. The post is considered to be the second most important position in the Israeli cabinet, and usually has a Deputy Minister. The Defense Minister is also a permanent member of the Security Cabinet.

Due to the great importance of the defense portfolio, prime ministers have often held the position in addition to their prime ministerial duties; eight of the twenty Defense Ministers to date were also serving Prime Ministers. Six of them (Moshe Dayan, Yitzhak Rabin, Ehud Barak, Shaul Mofaz, Moshe Ya'alon and Benny Gantz) are also former Chiefs of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces.

Amongst the duties of the post, Defense Ministers can request administrative detention. Because of the intensive work and the tension between the political echelon to the military echelon, frequently disagreements and difference of opinion are created between the Defense Minister and the Chief of Staff.

List of ministers

MinisterPartyGovernmentsTerm startTerm endNotes
1David Ben-Gurionbgcolor=P, 1, 2, 3, 414 May 194826 January 1954Serving Prime Minister
2Pinhas Lavonbgcolor=526 January 195421 February 1955
–David Ben-Gurionbgcolor=5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1021 February 195526 June 1963Serving Prime Minister
3Levi Eshkolbgcolor=11, 12, 1326 June 19635 June 1967Serving Prime Minister
4Moshe Dayanbgcolor=13, 14, 15, 165 June 19673 June 1974
5Shimon Peresbgcolor=173 June 197420 June 1977
6Ezer Weizmanbgcolor=1820 June 197728 May 1980
7Menachem Beginbgcolor=1828 May 19805 August 1981Serving Prime Minister
8Ariel Sharonbgcolor=195 August 198114 February 1983
–Menachem Beginbgcolor=1914 February 198323 February 1983Serving Prime Minister
9Moshe Arensbgcolor=19, 2023 February 198313 September 1984
10Yitzhak Rabinbgcolor=21, 22, 2313 September 198415 March 1990
11Yitzhak Shamirbgcolor=2315 March 199011 June 1990Serving Prime Minister
–Moshe Arensbgcolor=2411 June 199013 July 1992
–Yitzhak Rabinbgcolor=2513 July 19924 November 1995Serving Prime Minister, assassinated
–Shimon Peresbgcolor=25, 264 November 199518 June 1996Serving Prime Minister
12Yitzhak Mordechaibgcolor=2718 June 199625 January 1999
–Moshe Arensbgcolor=2727 January 19996 July 1999
13Ehud Barak286 July 19997 March 2001Serving Prime Minister
14Binyamin Ben-Eliezerbgcolor=297 March 20012 November 2002
15Shaul Mofazbgcolor=29, 304 November 20024 May 2006Not an MK at start of term in office
16Amir Peretzbgcolor=314 May 200618 June 2007
–Ehud Barakbgcolor=31, 3218 June 200718 March 2013Not an MK at start of term in office
17Moshe Ya'alonbgcolor=33, 3418 March 201322 May 2016
–Benjamin Netanyahubgcolor=3422 May 201630 May 2016Serving Prime Minister
Acting minister
18Avigdor Liebermanbgcolor=3430 May 201618 November 2018[3]
19Benjamin Netanyahu[4] [5] bgcolor=3418 November 20188 November 2019Serving Prime Minister
20Naftali Bennettbgcolor=348 November 201917 May 2020
21Benny Gantzbgcolor=35, 3617 May 202029 December 2022Serving Alternate Prime Minister
22Yoav Galantbgcolor=3729 December 2022

Deputy ministers

MinisterPartyGovernmentsTerm startTerm end
1Shimon PeresMapai9, 10, 11, 1221 December 195925 May 1965
2Zvi DinsteinAlignment1317 January 19665 June 1967
3Mordechai TziporiLikud18, 1928 June 197710 October 1983
4Michael DekelLikud21, 223 December 198521 November 1988
5Ovadia EliLikud248 July 199113 July 1992
6Mordechai GurLabor Party254 August 199216 July 1995
7Ori OrrLabor Party2627 November 199518 June 1996
8Silvan ShalomLikud279 July 19976 July 1999
9Efraim SnehOne Israel285 August 19997 March 2001
10Dalia Rabin-PelossofLabor Party297 March 20011 August 2002
11Weizman ShiryLabor Party2912 August 20022 November 2002
12Ze'ev BoimLikud
Kadima		305 March 200318 January 2006
–Efraim SnehLabor Party3130 October 200618 June 2007
13Matan VilnaiLabor Party31, 322 July 200718 January 2011
14Danny DanonLikud3318 March 201315 July 2014
15Eli Ben-DahanThe Jewish Home3419 May 20153 October 2019[6]
16Alon SchusterBlue and White3628 June 202129 December 2022

Directors General

Director GeneralTerm startTerm end
1Levi Eshkol19481948
2Eliezer Peri19481949
3Pinchas Sapir19491951
4Ze'ev Schind19511952
5Shimon Peres (acting)19521953
–Shimon Peres19531959
6Asher Ben-Natan (acting)19591960
–Asher Ben-Natan19601965
7Moshe Kasti19651970
8Yeshayahu Lavie19701972
9Yitzhak Ironi19721975
10Pinhas Zusman19751978
11Yosef Ma'ayan19781981
12Avraham Ben Yosef19811982
13Aharon Bet-Halachmi19821983
14Menachem Maron19831986
15David Ivry19861996
16Ilan Biran19961999
17Amos Yaron19992005
18Jacob Toren20052006
19Gabi Ashkenazi20062007
20Pinchas Buchris20072010
21Ehud Shani20102013
22Dan Harel20132016
23Udi Adam20162020
24Amir Eshel20202023
25Eyal Zamir2023present

Structure

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.mod.gov.il/ Israel Ministry of Defense
  2. In Israel, although the "Security Minister" (שר הביטחון) title is translated in English as "Defense Minister," in Hebrew, the Defense Ministers of other countries are more often referred to as "Defense Minister" (Hebrew: שר ההגנה, Sar HaHagana).
  3. News: After Jewish Home anger, Netanyahu says he'll reappoint deputy defense minister. 18 November 2018. en-US. The Times of Israel. Raoul Wootliff. 18 November 2018.
  4. Web site: Israel's Netanyahu will take over defence job for now after minister resigns -spokesman - Channel NewsAsia . 16 November 2018 . 18 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181118185342/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/israel-s-netanyahu-will-take-over-defence-job-for-now-after-minister-resigns--spokesman-10939202 . dead .
  5. Web site: Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu takes over defence job as coalition falters. November 16, 2018. The Straits Times.
  6. Web site: Current Knesset Members. 2021-07-12. knesset.gov.il.
  7. https://www.mod.gov.il/Departments/Pages/Defense-exports.aspx האגף לייצוא ביטחוני (סיבט)
  8. Web site: SIBAT- International Defense Cooperation. english.mod.gov.il.

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