Cabinet approves Katz to replace Cohen as foreign minister, per rotation agreement
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
The cabinet approves the appointment of Energy Minister Israel Katz as foreign minister, replacing Eli Cohen as the nation’s top diplomat.
The switch, made in accordance with an internal Likud rotation agreement signed last year before the establishment of the current emergency war government, will require Knesset approval before going into effect.
Despite leaving the Foreign Ministry, Cohen will continue to serve as a member of the security cabinet.
Cohen, who has served as foreign minister since the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in a year ago, will later replace Katz as energy minister for two years before swapping again as foreign minister for the final year of the government’s term in 2026 — assuming it lasts that long.
Katz is entering the ministry at a crucial time for the country’s diplomatic service, which must maintain Jerusalem’s international ties and represent the country on the world stage amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
His appointment also reflects Netanyahu’s policy of sidelining the Foreign Ministry in recent years, cutting and centralizing some of its responsibilities within his own office — a trend that led to several strikes by Israeli diplomats in recent years.
