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Ministry of National Security (Israel)

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Ministry of National Security
המשרד לביטחון לאומי

Emblem of Israel
Agency overview
Formed1948
JurisdictionGovernment of Israel
Minister responsible
Websitewww.mops.gov.il

The Ministry of National Security (Hebrew: המשרד לביטחון לאומי, Arabic: وزارة الأمن القومي), formerly Ministry of Internal Security and Ministry of Public Security, is a government agency of Israel.

The Ministry of National Security is the statewide law enforcement agency and oversees the Israel Police, the Israel Prison Service and the Israel National Fire and Rescue Services, Israel Border Police, National Headquarters for the Protection of Children on the Internet, National Authority for Community Safety and the Authority for Witness Protection.

The current Minister of National Security is Itamar Ben-Gvir.

History

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The Minister of National Security (Hebrew: שר לביטחון לאומי, Sar LeVitahon Leumi) is the political head of the ministry.

Until 1995 the position was known as Minister of Police (Hebrew: שר המשטרה, Sar HaMishtara). The first Minister of Police, Bechor-Shalom Sheetrit, a former policeman, held this position from May 1948 until a month before his death in January 1967. He served in fourteen governments, making him the country's longest continually serving minister.

The post was abolished after Menachem Begin became Prime Minister in 1977, but was reinstated in 1984 when Shimon Peres was elected.

In December 2022, the position was renamed again, changing from Minister of Public Security (Hebrew: שר לביטחון פנים, Sar LeVitahon Pnim) to Minister of National Security. This move has been criticized as an unnecessary expense for taxpayers.[1]

In February 2024, Ben-Gvir's appointment as minister was challenged but Israel's High Court of Justice turned down the petition to nullify this appointment.[2]

# Minister Party Government Term start Term end Notes
Minister of Police
1 Bechor-Shalom Sheetrit Sephardim & Oriental Communities
Mapai
Alignment
P, 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
10, 11, 12, 13
14 May 1948 2 January 1967
2 Eliyahu Sasson Alignment
Labor Party
Alignment
13, 14 2 January 1967 15 December 1969
3 Shlomo Hillel Alignment 15, 16, 17 15 December 1969 20 June 1977
4 Haim Bar-Lev Alignment 21, 22, 23 13 September 1984 15 March 1990
5 Roni Milo Likud 24 11 June 1990 13 July 1992
6 Moshe Shahal Labor Party 25 13 July 1992 22 November 1995
Minister of Internal Security
Moshe Shahal Labor Party 26 22 November 1995 18 June 1996
7 Avigdor Kahalani Third Way 27 18 June 1996 6 July 1999
8 Shlomo Ben-Ami One Israel 28 6 July 1999 7 March 2001
9 Uzi Landau Likud 29 7 March 2001 28 February 2003
10 Tzachi Hanegbi Likud 30 28 February 2003 6 September 2004
11 Gideon Ezra Likud
Kadima
30 6 September 2004 4 May 2006 Initially appointed Acting Minister, with position made permanent on 29 November 2004
12 Avi Dichter Kadima 31 4 May 2006 1 April 2009
13 Yitzhak Aharonovich Yisrael Beiteinu 32, 33 1 April 2009 14 May 2015
14 Yariv Levin Likud 34 14 May 2015 25 May 2015
14 Gilad Erdan Likud 34 25 May 2015 17 May 2020
15 Amir Ohana Likud 35 17 May 2020 13 June 2021
16 Omer Bar-Lev[3] Labor Party 36 13 June 2021 29 December 2022
Minister of National Security
17 Itamar Ben-Gvir Otzma Yehudit 37 29 December 2022

Deputy ministers

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# Minister Party Government Term start Term end
1 Gideon Ezra Likud 29 7 March 2001 28 February 2003
2 Yaakov Edri Likud
Kadima
30 10 March 2003 18 January 2006
3 Gadi Yevarkan Likud 35 17 May 2020 13 June 2021
4 Yoav Segalovich Yesh Atid 36 13 June 2021 29 December 2022


Agencies

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Unit for Public Inquiries and Complaints

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The Unit for Public Inquiries and Complaints operates under the aegis of the Internal Audit Division of the Ministry of Internal Security. It handles complaints from citizens against the Israel Police, Prison Service, National Fire and Rescue Authority, Authority for the War on Drugs and Alcohol and Division for Licensing and Inspection of Firearms. In accordance with the Internal Audit Law, the main duties of the division are to ensure that audited entities abide by the law and carry out their duties in an efficient, financially sound, corruption-free manner.

References

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  1. ^ "Itamar Ben-Gvir's ministry name change cost Israelis up to NIS 3 million". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Israel's Top Court Rejects Petition to Nullify Ben-Gvir's Appointment as Minister". Haaretz. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  3. ^ "After year of deadlock and days of delays, Knesset swears in new Israeli government". Haaretz. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
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