# Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel

The Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel (Hebrew: שר החוץ, Sar HaHutz) is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The position is one of the most important in the Israeli cabinet after Prime Minister and Defense Minister.

## Role and Responsibilities

The Foreign Affairs Minister is responsible for formulating and executing Israel's foreign policy, which involves conducting diplomatic relations with other countries and representing Israel in international organizations. The minister oversees the activities of Israeli embassies and consulates abroad, manages bilateral and multilateral negotiations, and addresses issues related to national security and international law. In this capacity, the minister plays a crucial role in shaping Israel's interactions on the global stage, ensuring that the country’s interests are safeguarded while fostering international cooperation.

## History

The position of Foreign Affairs Minister has evolved since its inception in 1948. The first holder, Moshe Sharett, navigated the challenges of establishing diplomatic relationships during Israel's formative years. Over time, key figures such as Golda Meir and Yigal Allon addressed complex geopolitical issues, while the 1990s saw a shift towards peace negotiations led by ministers like Shimon Peres and Ehud Barak. The early 2000s brought new challenges related to terrorism and regional stability, leading to a more hardline approach from figures such as Tzipi Livni and Avigdor Lieberman. More recently, under the leadership of Eli Cohen, the ministry has focused on strengthening ties with Arab nations and addressing emerging global threats.

## List of ministers

| # | Minister | Party | Governments | Term start | Term end | Notes |
| 1 | Moshe Sharett | Mapai | P, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | 15 May 1948 | 18 June 1956 | Serving Prime Minister 1954–1955 |
| 2 | Golda Meir | Mapai Alignment | 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 | 18 June 1956 | 12 January 1966 | |
| 3 | Abba Eban | Alignment Labor Party Alignment | 13, 14, 15, 16 | 13 January 1966 | 2 June 1974 | |
| 4 | Yigal Allon | Alignment | 17 | 3 June 1974 | 19 June 1977 | |
| 5 | Moshe Dayan | Independent | 18 | 20 June 1977 | 23 October 1979 | |
| 6 | Menachem Begin | Likud | 18 | 23 October 1979 | 10 March 1980 | Serving Prime Minister |
| 7 | Yitzhak Shamir | Likud | 18, 19, 20, 21 | 10 March 1980 | 20 October 1986 | Serving Prime Minister 1983–1984 |
| 8 | Shimon Peres | Alignment | 22 | 20 October 1986 | 23 December 1988 | |
| 9 | Moshe Arens | Likud | 23 | 23 December 1988 | 12 June 1990 | |
| 10 | David Levy | Likud | 24 | 13 June 1990 | 13 July 1992 | |
| – | Shimon Peres | Labor Party | 25 | 14 July 1992 | 22 November 1995 | |
| 11 | Ehud Barak | Labor Party | 26 | 22 November 1995 | 18 June 1996 | Not a Knesset member |
| – | David Levy | Gesher | 27 | 18 June 1996 | 6 January 1998 | |
| 12 | Benjamin Netanyahu | Likud | 27 | 6 January 1998 | 13 October 1998 | Serving Prime Minister |
| 13 | Ariel Sharon | Likud | 27 | 13 October 1998 | 6 June 1999 | |
| – | David Levy | One Israel | 28 | 6 June 1999 | 4 August 2000 | |
| – | Ehud Barak | One Israel | 28 | 4 August 2000 | 10 August 2000 | Serving Prime Minister |
| 14 | Shlomo Ben-Ami | One Israel | 28 | 10 August 2000 | 7 March 2001 | |
| – | Shimon Peres | Labor Party | 29 | 7 March 2001 | 2 October 2002 | |
| – | Ariel Sharon | Likud | 29 | 2 October 2002 | 6 November 2002 | Serving Prime Minister |
| – | Benjamin Netanyahu | Likud | 29 | 6 November 2002 | 28 February 2003 | |
| 15 | Silvan Shalom | Likud | 30 | 28 February 2003 | 16 January 2006 | |
| 16 | Tzipi Livni | Kadima | 31 | 18 January 2006 | 1 April 2009 | |
| 17 | Avigdor Lieberman | Yisrael Beiteinu | 32 | 1 April 2009 | 18 December 2012 | |
| – | Benjamin Netanyahu | Likud | 32, 33 | 18 December 2012 | 11 November 2013 | Serving Prime Minister |
| – | Avigdor Lieberman | Yisrael Beiteinu | 33 | 11 November 2013 | 6 May 2015 | |
| – | Benjamin Netanyahu | Likud | 34 | 14 May 2015 | 17 February 2019 | Serving Prime Minister |
| 18 | Yisrael Katz | Likud | 34 | 17 February 2019 | 17 May 2020 | |
| 19 | Gabi Ashkenazi | Blue and White | 35 | 17 May 2020 | 13 June 2021 | |
| 20 | Yair Lapid | Yesh Atid | 36 | 13 June 2021 | 29 December 2022 | Serving Prime Minister |
| 21 | Eli Cohen | Likud | 37 | 29 December 2022 | 1 January 2024 | |
| – | Yisrael Katz | Likud | 37 | 1 January 2024 | | |

## Deputy Foreign Ministers

The Minister of Foreign Affairs is supported by a team of Deputy Foreign Ministers who assist in the execution of foreign policy and diplomatic initiatives. These deputies focus on various regions and issues critical to Israel's foreign relations.
| # | Minister | Party | Governments | Term start | Term end |
| 1 | Yehuda Ben-Meir | National Religious Party Gesher ZRC | 19, 20 | 11 August 1981 | 13 September 1984 |
| 2 | Roni Milo | Likud | 21 | 24 September 1984 | 20 October 1986 |
| 3 | Benjamin Netanyahu | Likud | 23, 24 | 26 December 1988 | 11 November 1991 |
| 4 | Yossi Beilin | Labor Party | 25 | 4 August 1992 | 17 July 1995 |
| 5 | Eli Dayan | Labor Party | 26 | 24 July 1995 | 18 June 1996 |
| 6 | Nawaf Massalha | One Israel | 28 | 5 August 1999 | 7 March 2001 |
| 7 | Michael Melchior | Meimad | 29 | 7 March 2001 | 26 March 2001 |
| 8 | Majalli Wahabi | Kadima | 31 | 29 October 2007 | 31 March 2009 |
| 9 | Danny Ayalon | Yisrael Beiteinu | 32 | 31 March 2009 | 18 March 2013 |
| 10 | Ze'ev Elkin | Likud | 33 | 18 March 2013 | 12 May 2014 |
| 11 | Tzachi Hanegbi | Likud | 33 | 2 June 2014 | 6 May 2015 |
| 12 | Tzipi Hotovely | Likud | 34 | 19 May 2015 | 21 April 2020 |
| 13 | Idan Roll | Yesh Atid | 36 | 12 June 2021 | 29 December 2022 |

## See Also

* Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Israel)
* List of prime ministers of Israel
* List of Israeli politicians
* Foreign relations of Israel

## External Links

* Official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
* About the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
* Israeli Foreign Policy