Netanyahu appoints Shmuel Ben Ezra as head of Israel's National Security Council

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday appointed Shmuel Ben Ezra as head of Israel's National Security Council, replacing Tsachi Hanegbi, who was removed from the post in October 2025.

In a statement, Netanyahu's office said Ben Ezra would assume the role after leading the development of the "Arrow 3" missile defense system, one of Israel's key strategic air defense projects.

Ben Ezra is regarded as a prominent figure in Israel's defense and technology sectors. In addition to leading the development of the "Arrow 3" missile defense program, he held senior positions within Israel's Shin Bet domestic security agency, overseeing operations, technology and cybersecurity, according to Israeli media reports.

His appointment comes nearly a year after Hanegbi left the position he had held since January 2023. Netanyahu's office did not officially disclose the reasons for ending his tenure at the time.

However, Israeli media reported that Hanegbi's departure followed growing disagreements with Netanyahu over the management of the war in Gaza.

According to those reports, Hanegbi opposed plans for a full Israeli occupation of Gaza and supported pursuing an interim agreement for a prisoner exchange and ceasefire in the enclave, positions that differed from Netanyahu's approach at the time.

Hanegbi also called for a comprehensive investigation into the failures surrounding the October 2023 events and said upon leaving office that he had been "part of that failure" and that lessons needed to be learned from it.

Israel has killed nearly 73,000 people and injured over 172,000 in a two-year war on Gaza since October 2023 and caused widespread destruction affecting 90% of civilian infrastructure.