Katz Takes Over From Cohen As Foreign Min Amid Ongoing Conflict

Israel Katz has taken over from Eli Cohen as Israel's foreign minister as part of an internal rotation agreement within PM Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party. Katz previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2019-20, and posted on X regarding his appointment: "I entered my role as the foreign minister today. My message to the employees was concise. At the top of the priority list - hostages. Hostages. Hostages. That is our commitment to the people and families."

• The Times of Israel reported on 31 Dec, when the Cabinet approved Katz's appointment, that the decision to replace the gov'ts seniormost diplomat amid Israel's largest conflagration in decades could be a sign that the foreign ministry has been sidelined by Netanyahu's office in dealings with foreign nations.
• Cohen takes over Katz's previous role as Energy Minister, and is scheduled to return in 2026 should the gov't remain in office. The prospect of this remaining the case seems slim, with Likud's polling support having collapsed over the course of the war.
• Any eventual ceasefire or peace deal risks the withdrawal of ultranationalist parties from Netanyahu's gov't. Should Benny Gantz's moderate National Unity alliance also pull out, it would deny the gov't a majority in the Knesset risking snap elections.