Maj. Gen. (res.) Galant has been the lead Likud candidate for the post
By JNS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that Likud Knesset member Yoav Galant will be appointed to the position of defense minister.
Galant, an Israel Defense Forces major general in the reserves, has been the lead Likud candidate for the post.
He has served as head of IDF Southern Command, military secretary to the prime minister, and Ground Forces commander during his military career, as well as commander of the Gaza Division, the 340th “Idan” Armored Division and the elite Shayetet 13 (“Flotilla 13”) Navy commando unit. Before that, he was commander of the Menashe Brigade in Samaria.
In 2010, he was appointed by the government as IDF chief of staff, but the appointment was subsequently canceled following allegations of improper land seizure at his home in Moshav Amikam, which he denied.
In 2015, he became construction and housing minister and was a member of the Kulanu Party. He was then minister of aliyah and then minister of education.
He joined the Likud Party in 2018.