Israeli Ministry of Defense

The Israeli Ministry of Defense ( Heb. מִשְׂרַד הַבִּטָּחוֹן , literally “the ministry of security”) is the Israeli government department responsible for protecting the State of Israel from internal and external military threats. Currently the post is held by Benjamin Netanyahu ^[1]

The Ministry of Defense controls the majority of the Israeli security forces, including the Israel Defense Forces , the Israeli military industry and the Israeli aviation industry ^[2] . Created in 1948 , simultaneously with the creation of the State of Israel . The Ministry is headed by the Minister of Defense , whose office is located in Ha-Kirya , Tel Aviv .

Matkal Tower , headquarters of the Ministry of Defense of Israel

The position of Minister of Defense ( Heb. שַׂר הַבִּטָּחוֹן , literally - “Minister of Security”) is considered the second most important in the Cabinet of Ministers. The Minister of Defense is also a permanent member of the Security Council of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Due to the great importance of the post of the Minister of Defense of Israel, she was often held part-time by the Prime Minister. Seven of the sixteen ministers of defense were also prime ministers, and five of them ( Moshe Dayan , Yitzhak Rabin , Ehud Barak , Moshe Ya'alon and Shaul Mofaz ) were also chiefs of the general staff of the Israel Defense Forces .