Leaders of Israel
(State of Israel)
[To the list of countries]
[To the ZPC Homepage]

Look for biographies of the leaders (in Spanish) at CIDOB website.

Parties: Ahdut HaAvoda: Labour Unity (from 1968, Avoda) - Atzmaut: Independence (2011 split from Avoda) - Avoda: Labour Party - Dash: Democratic Movement for Change - Gesher: Bridge - HaPoel HaMizrahi: Spiritual Center Worker (from 1956, Mafdal) - Kadima: Forward (2005 split from Likud ) - HaTzionut HaDatit: The Religious Zionism (1998 split from Mafdal, called Tkuma to 2021) - HaTzionim HaKlaliym: General Zionists - HaYamin HeHadash: New Right (member of Yamina) - Herut: Freedom Movement (from 1988, Likud) - Hosen L'Yisrael: Resilience for Israel (member of Kahol Lavan) - Kahol Lavan: Blue and White (coalition) - Kulanu: All of Us - Likud: Consolidation' - Mafdal: National Religious Party - Mapai: Israeli Workers' Party (from 1968, Avoda) - Mifleget HaMerkaz: Center Party - Rafi: Israel Labor List - Shas: International Organization of Torah-observant Sephardic Jews - Shinui: Change - Tikva Hadasha: New Hope - Tnu'a Demokratit: Democratic Movement - Tzomet: Crossroads - Yamina: Rightwards (coalition) - Yisrael Beiteinu: Israel is Our Home - Yisrael BaAliyah: Israel and Immigration - Yesh Atid: The Is a Future (2019-2020 member of Kahol Lavan)

See also the political leadership of Palestine.


Heads of the State
Provisional Chairmen of the Council of State
David Ben-Gurion   15 May 1948 - 17 May 1948 (†1973) Mapai 
Haim Weizmann      17 May 1948 - 17 Feb 1949 (†1952) Mapai 

Presidents of the State
Haim Weizmann      17 Feb 1949 -  9 Nov 1952 (†1952) Mapai
Yosef Sprinzak      9 Nov 1952 - 10 Dec 1952 (†1959) Mapai (interim)
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi    10 Dec 1952 - 23 Apr 1963 (†1963) Mapai
Kadish Luz         23 Apr 1963 - 22 May 1963 (†1972) Mapai (interim)
Zalman Shazar      22 May 1963 - 24 May 1973 (†1974) Avoda    
Ephraim Katzir     24 May 1973 - 29 May 1978 (†2009) Avoda
Yitzhak Navon      29 May 1978 -  5 May 1983 (†2015) Avoda
Haim Herzog         5 May 1983 - 13 May 1993 (†1997) Avoda
Ezer Weizman       13 May 1993 - 12 Jul 2000 (†2005) Avoda
Avraham Burg       12 Jul 2000 -  1 Aug 2000         Avoda (interim)
Moshe Katzav        1 Aug 2000 -  1 Jul 2007         Likud (duties suspended 25 Jan 2007)
 [Dalia Itzik      25 Jan 2007 -  1 Jul 2007]        Kadima (acting for suspended Katzav)
Dalia Itzik         1 Jul 2007 - 15 Jul 2007         Kadima (interim)
Shimon Peres       15 Jul 2007 - 24 Jul 2014 (†2016) Kadima
Reuven Rivlin      24 Jul 2014 -  7 Jul 2021         Likud
Yitzhak Herzog      7 Jul 2021 -                     Avoda

Prime Ministers
David Ben-Gurion   17 May 1948 -  7 Dec 1953 (†1973) Mapai      
Moshe Sharett       7 Dec 1953 -  2 Nov 1955 (†1965) Mapai       
David Ben-Gurion    2 Nov 1955 - 21 Jun 1963 (†1973) Mapai       
Levi Eshkol        21 Jun 1963 - 26 Feb 1969 (†1969) Mapai       
Yigal Allon        26 Feb 1969 - 17 Mar 1969 (†1980) Avoda (acting)         
Golda Meir         17 Mar 1969 -  3 Jun 1974 (†1978) Avoda
Yitzhak Rabin       3 Jun 1974 - 22 Apr 1977 (†1995) Avoda
Shimon Peres       22 Apr 1977 - 21 Jun 1977 (†2016) Avoda (acting)
Menahem Begin      21 Jun 1977 - 10 Oct 1983 (†1992) Herut/Likud 
Yitzhak Shamir     10 Oct 1983 - 14 Sep 1984 (†2012) Herut/Likud 
Shimon Peres       14 Sep 1984 - 20 Oct 1986 (†2016) Avoda
Yitzhak Shamir     20 Oct 1986 - 13 Jul 1992 (†2012) Likud
Yitzhak Rabin      13 Jul 1992 -  4 Nov 1995 (†1995) Avoda
Shimon Peres        4 Nov 1995 - 18 Jun 1996 (†2016) Avoda (acting to 22 Nov 1995)
Binyamin Netanyahu 18 Jun 1996 -  6 Jul 1999         Likud
Ehud Barak          6 Jul 1999 -  7 Mar 2001         Avoda
Ariel Sharon        7 Mar 2001 - 14 Apr 2006 (†2014) Likud, Kadima
Ehud Olmert        14 Apr 2006 - 31 Mar 2009         Kadima (acting for Sharon 4 Jan-14 Apr 2006)
Binyamin Netanyahu 31 Mar 2009 - 13 Jun 2021         Likud
Naftali Bennett    13 Jun 2021 - 30 Jun 2022         HaYamin HeHadash/Yamina  
Yair Lapid          1 Jul 2022 - 29 Dec 2022         Yesh Atid
Binyamin Netanyahu 29 Dec 2022 -                     Likud

Designated acting, Deputy, Vice, Alternate Prime Ministers
Designated acting Prime Ministers
Yitzhak Shamir       13 Sep 1984 – 20 Oct 1986 (†2012) Likud
Shimon Peres         20 Oct 1986 - 15 Mar 1990 (†2016) Avoda
Ehud Olmert          28 Feb 2003 -  4 Jan 2006         Likud, Kadima
Tzipi Livni           4 May 2006 - 31 Mar 2009         Kadima

Deputy Prime Ministers
Eliezer Kaplan       25 Jun 1952 – 13 Jul 1952 (†1959) Mapai
Abba Eban            26 Jun 1963 – 12 Jan 1966 (†2002) Mapai
Yigal Allon           1 Jul 1968 – 10 Mar 1974 (†1980) Mapai, Avoda
Yigal Yadin          20 Jun 1977 –  5 Aug 1981 (†1984) Dash, Tnu'a Demokratit, n/p
Simha Erlich         20 Jun 1977 – 19 Jun 1983 (†1983) Likud
David Levy            3 Nov 1981 - 13 Jul 1992         Likud
Yitzhak Navon        13 Sep 1984 – 11 Jun 1990 (†2015) Avoda
Moshe Nissim         11 Jun 1990 – 13 Jul 1992         Likud
David Levy           18 Jun 1996 –  6 Jan 1998         Gesher
Zevulun Hammer       18 Jun 1996 – 20 Jan 1998 (†1998) Mafdal
Rafael Eitan         18 Jun 1996 –  6 Jul 1999 (†2004) Tzomet
Moshe Katzav         18 Jun 1996 –  6 Jul 1999         Likud
Yitzhak Mordechai     6 Jul 1999 – 30 May 2000         Mifleget HaMerkaz
David Levy            6 Jul 1999 –  4 Aug 2000         Gesher
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer  6 Jul 1999 –  7 Mar 2001 (†2016) Avoda
Shimon Peres          7 Mar 2001 –  2 Nov 2002 (†2016) Avoda
Silvan Shalom         7 Mar 2001 – 28 Feb 2003         Likud
Natan Sharansky       7 Mar 2001 – 28 Feb 2003         Yisrael BaAliyah
Eli Yishai            7 Mar 2001 – 23 May 2002         Shas
Eli Yishai            3 Jun 2002 – 28 Feb 2003         Shas
Yosef Tommy Lapid    28 Feb 2003 –  4 Dec 2004 (†2008) Shinui
Silvan Shalom        28 Feb 2003 – 15 Jan 2006         Likud
Amir Peretz           4 May 2006 – 18 Jun 2007         Avoda
Avigdor Lieberman    30 Oct 2006 – 18 Jan 2008         Yisrael Beiteinu
Shaul Mofaz           4 May 2006 – 31 Mar 2009         Kadima
Eli Yishai            4 May 2006 – 31 Mar 2009         Shas
Ehud Barak           18 Jun 2007 – 31 Mar 2009         Avoda
Avigdor Lieberman    31 Mar 2009 – 18 Dec 2012         Yisrael Beiteinu
Ehud Barak           31 Mar 2009 - 18 Mar 2013         Avoda, Atzmaut, n/p                  
Dan Meridor          31 Mar 2009 - 18 Mar 2013         Likud 
Eli Yishai           31 Mar 2009 - 18 Mar 2013         Shas
Gideon Sa'ar         13 Jun 2021 -  9 Jul 2021         Tikva Hadasha           
Binyamin Benny Gantz 13 Jun 2021 - 29 Dec 2022         Hosen L'Yisrael/Kahol Lavan
Yariv Levin          29 Dec 2022 -                     Likud

Vice Prime Ministers
Shimon Peres         10 Jan 2005 – 23 Nov 2005 (†2016) Avoda
Shimon Peres          4 May 2006 - 13 Jun 2007 (†2016) Kadima
Haim Ramon            4 Jul 2007 - 31 Mar 2009         Kadima
Silvan Shalom        31 Mar 2009 – 18 Mar 2013         Likud
Moshe Ya'alon        31 Mar 2009 - 18 Mar 2013         Likud
Shaul Mofaz           9 May 2012 – 19 Jul 2012         Kadima
Silvan Shalom        14 May 2015 – 27 Dec 2015         Likud
Aryeh Deri           29 Dec 2022 - 24 Jan 2023         Shas

Alternate Prime Ministers
Binyamin Benny Gantz 17 May 2020 - 13 Jun 2021         Hosen L'Yisrael/Kahol Lavan
Yair Lapid           13 Jun 2021 - 30 Jun 2022         Yesh Atid
Naftali Bennett       1 Jul 2022 -  8 Nov 2022         HaYamin HeHadash/Yamina  

Knesset Speakers
Yosef Sprinzak            1949-1959 (†1959) Mapai
Nahum Nir-Rafalkes        1959      (†1968) Ahdut HaAvoda
Kudish Luz                1959-1969 (†1972) Mapai
Reuven Barkat             1969-1972 (†1972) Avoda
Yisrael Yeshayahu-Sharabi 1972-1977 (†1979) Avoda
Yitzhak Shamir            1977-1980 (†2012) Herut/Likud    
Yitzhak Berman            1980-1981 (†2013) Herut/Likud
Menahem Savidor           1981-1984 (†1988) Herut/Likud
Shlomo Hillel             1984-1988 (†2021) Avoda
Dov Shilansky             1988-1992 (†2010) Likud
Shevah Weiss              1992-1996         Avoda
Dan Tichon                1996-1999         Likud
Avraham Burg              1999-2003         Avoda
Reuven Rivlin             2003-2006         Likud
Dalia Itzik               2006-2009         Kadima
Reuven Rivlin             2009-2013         Likud
Yuli-Yoel Edelstein       2013-2020         Likud
Binyamin Benny Gantz      2020              Hosen L'Yisrael
Yariv Levin               2020-2021         Likud
Michael Mickey Levy       2021-2022         Yesh Atid
Amir Ohana                2022-             Likud

Ministers of Foreign Affairs
Moshe Sharett             1948-1956 (†1965) Mapai
Golda Meir                1956-1966 (†1978) Mapai
Abba Eban                 1966-1974 (†2002) Avoda
Yigal Allon               1974-1977 (†1980) Avoda
Moshe Dayan               1977-1979 (†1981) Herut/Likud 
Menahem Begin             1979-1980 (†1992) Herut/Likud (acting)  
Yitzhak Shamir            1980-1986 (†2012) Herut/Likud  
Shimon Peres              1986-1988 (†2016) Avoda
Moshe Arens               1988-1990 (†2019) Likud
David Levy                1990-1992         Likud       
Shimon Peres              1992-1995 (†2016) Avoda
Yossi Beilin              1995              Avoda (acting)
Ehud Barak                1995-1996         Avoda
David Levy                1996-1998         Gesher
Binyamin Netanyahu        1998              Likud (acting) 
Ariel Sharon              1998-1999 (†2014) Likud
David Levy                1999-2000         Gesher
Ehud Barak                2000              Avoda (acting)
Shlomo Ben-Ami            2000-2001         Avoda
Shimon Peres              2001-2002 (†2016) Avoda
Binyamin Netanyahu        2002-2003         Likud
Silvan Shalom             2003-2006         Likud  
Tzipi Livni               2006-2009         Kadima  
Avigdor Lieberman         2009-2012         Yisrael Beiteinu
Binyamin Netanyahu        2012-2013         Likud
Avigdor Lieberman         2013-2015         Yisrael Beiteinu
Binyamin Netanyahu        2015-2019         Likud
Yisrael Katz              2019-2020         Likud
Gavriel Gabi Ashkenazi    2020-2021         Hosen L'Yisrael/Kahol Lavan
Yair Lapid                2021-2022         Yesh Atid
Eli Cohen                 2022-2024         Likud
Yisrael Katz              2024-             Likud

Ministers of Defence
David Ben-Gurion          1948-1954 (†1973) Mapai
Pinhas Lavon              1954-1955 (†1972) Mapai
David Ben-Gurion          1955-1963 (†1973) Mapai
Levi Eshkol               1963-1967 (†1969) Mapai
Moshe Dayan               1967-1974 (†1981) Avoda
Shimon Peres              1974-1977 (†2016) Avoda
Ezer Weizman              1977-1980 (†2005) Herut/Likud 
Menahem Begin             1980-1981 (†1992) Herut/Likud (acting)
Ariel Sharon              1981-1983 (†2014) Herut/Likud 
Moshe Arens               1983-1984 (†2019) Herut/Likud 
Yitzhak Rabin             1984-1990 (†1995) Avoda
Yitzhak Shamir            1990      (†2012) Likud
Moshe Arens               1990-1992 (†2019) Likud
Yitzhak Rabin             1992-1995 (†1995) Avoda
Shimon Peres              1995-1996 (†2016) Avoda
Yitzhak Mordechai         1996-1999         Likud
Moshe Arens               1999      (†2019) Likud
Ehud Barak                1999-2001         Avoda
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer      2001-2002 (†2016) Avoda
Shaul Mofaz               2002-2006         Likud, Kadima
Amir Peretz               2006-2007         Avoda
Ehud Barak                2007-2013         Avoda, Atzmaut
Moshe Ya'alon             2013-2016         Likud
Binyamin Netanyahu        2016              Likud (acting)
Avigdor Lieberman         2016-2018         Yisrael Beiteinu
Binyamin Netanyahu        2018-2019         Likud
Naftali Bennett           2019-2020         HaYamin HeHadash/Yamina
Binyamin Benny Gantz      2020-2022         Hosen L'Yisrael/Kahol Lavan
Yoav Galant               2022-             Likud

Ministers of Finance
Eliezer Kaplan            1948-1952 (†1952) Mapai
Levi Eshkol               1952-1963 (†1969) Mapai
Pinhas Sapir              1963-1968 (†1975) Mapai
Ze'ev Sharef              1968-1969 (†1984) Mapai, Avoda
Pinhas Sapir              1969-1974 (†1975) Avoda
Yehoshua Rabinovich       1974-1977 (†1979) Avoda
Simha Ehrlich             1977-1979 (†1983) Liberal/Likud
Yigal Hurvitz             1979-1981 (†1994) Herut/Likud, Rafi           
Yoram Aridor              1981-1983         Herut/Likud
Yigal Cohen-Orgad         1983-1984 (†2019) Herut/Likud
Yitzhak Moday             1984-1986 (†1998) Herut/Likud
Moshe Nissim              1986-1988         Herut/Likud
Shimon Peres              1988-1990 (†2016) Avoda
Yitzhak Moday             1990-1992 (†1998) Likud
Avraham Shohat            1992-1996 (†2024) Avoda                
Dan Meridor               1996-1997         Likud
Binyamin Netanyahu        1997              Likud
Yaakov Neeman             1997-1998 (†2017) Likud 
Binyamin Netanyahu        1998-1999         Likud  
Meir Sheetrit             1999              Likud  
Avraham Shohat            1999-2001 (†2024) Avoda
Silvan Shalom             2001-2003         Likud  
Binyamin Netanyahu        2003-2005         Likud
Ehud Olmert               2005-2006         Likud, Kadima
Avraham Hirschson         2006-2007 (†2022) Kadima
[Ehud Olmert              2007]             Kadima (acting for suspended Hirchson)
Roni Bar-On               2007-2009         Kadima
Yuval Steinitz            2009-2013         Likud
Yair Lapid                2013-2014         Yesh Atid
Binyamin Netanyahu        2014-2015         Likud
Moshe Kahlon              2015-2020         Kulanu
Yisrael Katz              2020-2021         Likud
Avigdor Lieberman         2021-2022         Yisrael Beiteinu
Bezalel Smotrich          2022-             HaTzionut HaDatit

Ministers of the Interior
Yitzhak Gruenbaum         1948-1949 (†1970) Mapai
Moshe Haim Shapira        1949-1952 (†1970) HaPoel HaMizrahi	
Israel Rokach             1952-1955 (†1959) HaTzionim HaKlaliym
Moshe Haim Shapira        1955      (†1970) HaPoel HaMizrahi
Israel Bar-Yehuda         1955-1959 (†1965) Ahdut HaAvodah 
Moshe Haim Shapira        1959-1970 (†1970) Mafdal
Yosef Burg                1970-1974 (†1999) Mafdal
Shlomo Hillel             1974      (†2021) Avoda
Yosef Burg                1974-1977 (†1999) Mafdal
Shlomo Hillel             1977      (†2021) Avoda
Yosef Burg                1977-1984 (†1999) Mafdal
Shimon Peres              1984      (†2016) Avoda
Yitzhak Haim Peretz       1984-1987         Shas
Yitzhak Shamir            1987-1988 (†2012) Likud  
Aryeh Machluf Deri        1988-1992         Shas
Yitzhak Rabin             1992-1993 (†1995) Avoda
Aryeh Machluf Deri        1993              Shas
Yitzhak Rabin             1993-1995 (†1995) Avoda           
Uzi Baram                 1995              Avoda           
David Libai               1995              Avoda           
Ehud Barak                1995              Avoda
Haim Ramon                1995-1996         Avoda    
Eliyahu Suissa            1996-1999         Shas
Natan Sharansky           1999-2000         Yisrael BaAliyah
Haim Ramon                2000-2001         Avoda    
Eliyahu Yishai            2001-2002         Shas
Ariel Sharon              2002      (†2014) Likud
Eliyahu Yishai            2002-2003         Shas 
Avraham Poraz             2003-2004         Shinui 
Ariel Sharon              2004-2005 (†2014) Likud
Ophir Pines-Paz           2005              Avoda
Ariel Sharon              2005-2006 (†2014) Kadima (acting)
Ehud Olmert               2006              Kadima (acting)
Roni Bar-On               2006-2007         Kadima
Meir Sheetrit             2007-2009         Kadima
Eliyahu Yishai            2009-2013         Shas
Gideon Sa'ar              2013-2014         Likud
Gilad Erdan               2014-2015         Likud
Silvan Shalom             2015              Likud
Binyamin Netanyahu        2015-2016         Likud
Aryeh Machluf Deri        2016-2021         Shas
Ayelet Shaked             2021-2022         HaYamin HeHadash/Yamina
Aryeh Machluf Deri        2022-2023         Shas  
Michael Malchieli         2023              Shas (acting)
Moshe Arbel               2023-             Shas     

Chiefs of Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF)
Yaakov Dori               1948-1949 (†1973)
Yigal Yadin               1949-1952 (†1984) 
Mordechai Maklef          1952-1953 (†1978) 
Moshe Dayan               1953-1958 (†1981) 
Haim Laskov               1958-1961 (†1983) 
Zvi Tzur                  1961-1964 (†2004)
Yitzhak Rabin             1964-1968 (†1992)
Haim Bar-Lev              1968-1972 (†1994) 
David Elazar              1972-1974 (†1976)
Mordechai Gur             1974-1978 (†1995)
Rafael Eitan              1978-1983 (†2004) 
Moshe Levy                1983-1987
Dan Shomron               1987-1991 (†2008)        
Ehud Barak                1991-1995        
Amnon Lipkin-Shahak       1995-1998 (†2012)        
Shaul Mofaz               1998-2002         
Moshe Ya'alon             2002-2005        
Dan Halutz                2005-2007         
Gavriel Gabi Ashkenazi    2007-2011
Benny Gantz               2011-2015  
Gadi Eizenkot             2015-2019
Aviv Kochavi              2019-2023
Herzi Halevi              2023-

Directors of the Mossad
Reuven Shiloah            1949-1953 (†1959)
Isser Harel               1953-1963 (†2003)
Meir Amit                 1963-1968 (†2009)
Zvi Zamir                 1968-1974 (†2024)
Yitzhak Hofi              1974-1982 (†2014)
Nahum Admoni              1982-1989
Shabtai Shavit            1989-1996
Danny Yatom               1996-1998
Efraim Halevy             1998-2002
Meir Dagan                2002-2011 (†2016)
Tamir Pardo               2011-2016
Yossi Cohen               2016-2021
David Dadi Barnea         2021-

Leaders of Herut/Likud
Menachem Begin            1948-1951 (†1992) 
Arye Ben-Eliezer          1951-1952 (†1970) (interim)
Menachem Begin            1952-1983 (†1992) 
Yitzhak Shamir            1983-1993 (†2012)       
Binyamin Netanyahu        1993-1999         
Ariel Sharon              1999-2005 (†2014)        
Tzachi Hanegbi            2005              (acting)
Binyamin Netanyahu        2005-             

The Likud block contested the elections as a rightist coalition since 1973; its core was the Gahal (Freedom-Liberal Block), comprised by the Herut and the Liberal Party. In 1988 the Likud became properly a party when its members decided to merge.
Leaders of Mapai/Avoda
David Ben-Gurion          1948-1954 (†1973)
Moshe Sharett             1954-1955 (†1965)
David Ben-Gurion          1955-1963 (†1973)
Levi Eshkol               1963-1969 (†1969)     
Yigal Allon               1969      (†1980) (interim)
Golda Meir                1969-1974 (†1978) 
Yitzhak Rabin             1974-1977 (†1995)
Shimon Peres              1977-1992 (†2016)        
Yiztzak Rabin             1992-1995 (†1995)     
Shimon Peres              1995-1997 (†2016)        
Ehud Barak                1997-2001         
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer      2001-2002 (†2016)       
Amran Mitzna              2002-2003         
Shimon Peres              2003-2005 (†2016)         
Amir Peretz               2005-2007         
Ehud Barak                2007-2011 
Michael Harish            2011-             (acting)
Shelly Yachimovich        2011-2013
Yitzhak Herzog            2013-2017
Avi Gabbay                2017-2019
Amir Peretz               2019-2021
Merav Michaeli            2021- 

The Avoda was born in 1968 as the merger of the Mapai, the Rafi party and Ahdut HaAvoda, which split from the Mapai in 1965 and 1944, respectively.
Leaders of Kadima
Ariel Sharon              2005-2006 (†2014)
Ehud Olmert               2006-2008
Tzipi Livni               2008-2012
Shaul Mofaz               2012-2015
Akram Hasson              2015                                                                  

Kadima was launched by prime minister Ariel Sharon on 21 Nov 2005. The party was disbanded in 2015.

[To the list of countries] [To the ZPC Homepage]


ZPC homepage© Copyright ZPC, Roberto Ortiz de Zárate, 1996-2024
URL of this page: http://zarate.eu/israel.htm | E-mail: zpc@zarate.eu