Yoav Gallant

Yoav Gallant. He is an Israeli politician and retired IDF major general who has served as the Minister of Defense since December 2022. A member of the Likud party, he previously held the position of Minister of Construction and has been a Knesset member since 2021. Gallant had a distinguished 35-year military career, commanding elite units and rising to lead the Southern Command.

Early life and education

He was born in Jaffa in 1958. His family later moved to the moshav of Amikam. He completed his secondary education at the HaKfar HaYarok agricultural boarding school. Following his mandatory military service, he pursued higher education, earning a Bachelor of Arts in accounting and business management from the University of Haifa. He later completed a Master of Arts in National Resource Management from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C..

Military career

He enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces in 1977 and joined the elite naval commando unit Shayetet 13. He saw combat during the 1982 Lebanon War and later commanded the unit. He subsequently served as commander of the Nahal infantry brigade. During the Second Intifada, he commanded the Gaza Division. He was appointed Military Secretary to the Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon. His final and most prominent command was as head of the IDF Southern Command from 2005 to 2010, overseeing Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip. He retired from active duty in 2012 with the rank of Aluf (Major General).

Political career

After retiring from the military, he entered politics. He joined the Kulanu party led by Moshe Kahlon and was placed on its list for the April 2019 election, but the party did not cross the electoral threshold. He later joined Likud and was elected to the Knesset in the 2021 Israeli legislative election. He served as a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. In the government formed by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, he was appointed Minister of Construction in June 2021. Following the 2022 Israeli legislative election, he was nominated by Benjamin Netanyahu to become Minister of Defense, taking office on 29 December 2022.

Minister of Defense

His tenure as defense minister began during a period of heightened tensions, including increased violence in the West Bank and confrontations with Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza. He has overseen major military operations, most notably the Israeli response to the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, which precipitated the Israel–Hamas war. His management of the war and disagreements over the military draft of Haredi Jews led to a public rift with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in March 2024, where he called for a clear post-war strategy for Gaza, prompting calls for his dismissal from some coalition members.

Political positions and views

He is considered a security hawk with a focus on maintaining Israel's military deterrence. He has advocated for a strong response to threats from Hezbollah and Hamas and supports continued Israeli security control over the West Bank. Regarding the Iran nuclear deal, he has expressed strong opposition, warning of the dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran. On domestic issues, he has been a vocal proponent of ending exemptions from military conscription for the ultra-Orthodox community, a stance that has caused significant political friction within the governing coalition.

Personal life

He is married to Claudine, and the couple has three children. They reside in the community of Amikam in northern Israel. His older brother, Yossi Gallant, was a commander in the Israeli Air Force. In 2023, he was included in *Time* magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world due to his central role during the Israel–Hamas war. Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:Israeli generals Category:Ministers of Defense of Israel Category:Likud politicians Category:Members of the Knesset