Minister of Foreign Affairs Lt. Gen. (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi

Lt. Gen. (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi was sworn in as Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs in May 2020.

Since 2019 he has been a Member of the Knesset representing the "Blue and White" Party.

Lt. Gen. (res.) Ashkenazi served as the 19th Chief-of-Staff of the Israel Defense Forces between February 2007 and February 2011, following a long and distinguished career in the IDF.

He was first drafted into the IDF in 1972, joining the Golani Brigade, first as a combat soldier and later as a commander. He fought in the Yom Kippur War and participated in Operation Thunderbolt, also known as “Operation Entebbe”, the famed hostage rescue mission in 1976.

Ashkenazi served in numerous senior capacities in the IDF including Deputy Chief-of-Staff, and head of the Northern Command. In addition, he served as Director-General of the Ministry of Defense.

After taking a number of years away from the military to work in the private sector, in early 2007, Ashkenazi reenlisted in the IDF following his appointment as Chief-of-Staff. During his tenure, Ashkenazi restored the IDF’s operative capacity in the wake of the Second Lebanon War and led the IDF through a series of campaigns, including “Operation Hot Winter,” and “Operation Cast Lead”. In addition, in September 2007, he led the decisive strike on Syria’s illegal and undeclared nuclear reactor which posed a strategic threat to Israel and other countries in the region.

In 2012 Ashkenazi was appointed, in a voluntary capacity, as chairman of one of Israel's leading non-profits, the Rashi Foundation. The Rashi Foundation works to foster education and welfare solutions that enable upward mobility for young people in Israel’s social and geographic periphery.

Lt. Gen. (res.) Ashkenazi holds a Bachelor’s degree in political science and oriental studies from Haifa University. He is a graduate of the Executive Management Program at the Harvard Business School as well as the IDF’s Joint Command Course and the Officer Candidate School of the United States Marine Corps.

Minister Ashkenazi grew up on Moshav Hagor and now lives in Kfar Saba. He is married to Ronit and they have two children, Itai and Gali.