Israel Katz, Minister of Defense of Israel, is one of the prominent political figures who has emerged during a period in which the far-right security-focused rhetoric in Israel has become intertwined with the Jewish settler movements.
Regarding the Palestinian issue, Katz views increased military operations, political pressure, and demographic engineering as necessary, and consciously disregards the erosion of international law in pursuit of these goals. The ministerial positions he has held throughout his political career have enabled him to influence nearly all critical aspects of Israel’s current policies on infrastructure, settlements, borders, blockades, energy and war, which form the foundation of the genocide Israel is currently committing.
Throughout the Gaza genocide, while Türkiye has persistently emphasized the need for a ceasefire, humanitarian aid, a two-state solution, and respect for international law, Katz has maintained a stance defending Israel’s regional deterrence, the punishment of Gazans, the displacement of Palestinians, and the necessity of military operations.
As one of the longest-serving political figures in the Israeli cabinet, Katz has stood out for his ties to illegal Jewish settlers. He has viewed Palestinians struggling to live on their own land as the greatest security threat. He has turned the infrastructure projects he has overseen into tools of pressure for Israel’s regional policies. Following Oct. 7, he has made statements that give the impression of collective punishment and mass extermination, adopting a stance that has contributed to the deepening of crises in the region.
