Netanyahu dismisses Israeli Defense Minister Gallant: Successor announced

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz has been appointed to replace Gallant. The new Foreign Minister will be Gideon Saar.

In a statement following the dismissal decision, Netanyahu said, "There were too many disagreements between Gallant and me regarding how the wars should be managed."

WHO IS ISRAEL KATZ?

Israel Katz was born in Ashkelon in 1955. His parents, Meir and Malka Katz, were Holocaust survivors from the Maramureș region of Romania. He grew up in the moshav of Kfar Ahim. He was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces in 1973 and served as a soldier and squad leader in the Paratroopers Brigade. He completed Officer Candidate School in 1976 and returned to the Paratroopers Brigade as a platoon leader. After his discharge in 1977, he studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, graduating with bachelor's and master's degrees. He was the president of the student union in the early 1980s. In March 1981, he was suspended for one year for participating in a protest against Arab violence on campus, which included locking the rector, Raphael Mechoulam, in his office.

Katz was first placed 45th on the Likud list in the 1992 Israeli legislative election, but did not enter the Knesset as Likud won only 32 seats. Katz was placed 34th on the Likud-Gesher-Tzomet list in the 1996 election, but again did not enter the Knesset as the coalition won only 32 seats. However, he entered the Knesset in November 1998, replacing Ehud Olmert. He was re-elected in 1999 and 2003, and was appointed Minister of Agriculture in the Ariel Sharon government in 2003. Katz left the cabinet in January 2006 following the Likud-Kadima split and was re-elected in the 2006 election.

IS ISRAEL KATZ MARRIED?

Katz is married and a father of two.

News Source: 12punto