×

Israel

H.E. Israel Katz

Energy Minister of Israel

• Israel Katz is an Israeli politician and holds the position of Minister of Energy and Infrastructure since 2023, Minister Katz is a member of the Likud party and has held a number of other cabinet positions, including Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Transportation, Minister of Intelligence, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of Finance.

• Minster Katz has been a Member of Knesset since 1998 and has served on a number of committees, including the Finance Committee, the House Committee, the Constitution, Law & Justice Committee, the Internal Affairs and Environment Committee, and the Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee. Minister Katz has also served as a member of the Special Committee for Public Petitions, the Joint Committee for the Defense Budget, and the Special Committee for Discussion of the Security Service Law.

• Minister Katz is currently the President of the Likud Party Convention and a member of the Security Cabinet of Israel.

• Katz was born in Ashkelon in 1955 and holds a B.A. in political science and international relations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is married and has two children.

• In January 2024, Minister Katz is set to be appointed to the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Yaakov Blitstein

Director General of the Ministry of Energy

• Yaakov (Kobi) Blitshtein is Director General of the Ministry of Energy and infrastructure since January 2023.

• Director General Blitshtein, began his professional career in the public sector in September 2011, when he was appointed Head of "The National Roads Company in Israel" (Netivei Israel) at the Ministry of Transport. Mr. Blitshtein also served as a Deputy Director at the Ministry of Transport until September 2016. In these roles, he was involved in the management of large-scale transportation infrastructure projects, including the planning and layout of railroads and construction of roads throughout the country.

• In November 2020, with the appointment of Minister Israel Katz at the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Blitshtein was appointed Chairman of the National Infrastructure program at the Ministry of Finance. In this role, he was responsible for the acceleration of national infrastructure and the implementation of government policy.

• From February 2021 to August 2021, Blitshtein held the position of Acting Director General of the Ministry of Finance.

• Before assuming the position of Director General of the Ministry of Energy and infrastructure, served as the head of the Transportation Directorate in the Rishon LeZion Municipality.

• Mr. Blitshtein holds a bachelor's degree in economics, sociology and political science (B.A), a bachelor's degree in law (L.L.B) and a master's degree in business administration (M.B.A) from Ono Academic College.