View source for Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee

{{short description|Israeli Knesset committee}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
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[[File:Knesset Foreign Affairs & Security Comm1949.jpg|thumb| [[Knesset]] Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, 1949]]
The '''Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee''' ({{langx|he|ועדת חוץ וביטחון}}) is a permanent [[Knesset]] [[committee]] which oversees key [[Foreign relations of Israel|Foreign]] and [[Israeli Security Forces|Defense]] issues of the [[State of Israel]], including the drafting of legislation, supervision over related [[Cabinet of Israel|government ministries]] and the approval of their budgets. It is regarded as one of two most important Knesset committees (the other being the [[Finance Committee (Israel)|Finance Committee]]).

==Activity==
The majority of the committee's activity takes place in its subcommittees, while the committee as a whole largely serves as a media stage for top defense decision makers. The committee approves extensive subcommittee-drafted [[delegated legislation]] in areas of defense, emergency [[preparedness]], emergency recruitment of human resources, [[Shin Bet|Shabak]] special operations, [[Resource allocation|allocation]] of emergency equipment, the deployment of the Home Front, and other security and intelligence related tasks. The committee is presented with summaries by the top decision makers in areas of foreign affairs, defense, and intelligence, including by the [[Prime Minister of Israel|Prime Minister]], the [[Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel|Foreign Affairs Minister]], the [[List of Defense Ministers of Israel|Minister of Defense]], and the heads of [[Mossad]], Shabak, and [[Aman (IDF)|Aman]]. The committee's chair, who reports on much of the country's defense activities, is considered one of the most senior figures in the [[Israeli Security Forces|Security Forces]] and subsequently, it is one of the most sought after positions in the Knesset. The committee's [[plenary session]]s are [[Military secret|secret]] and the meetings of some of its subcommittees are [[Top Secret|top secret]]. Consequently, its protocols remain largely unpublished. After repeated instances in which the contents of meetings were [[Political leak|leaked]], its members became obliged to sign a secrecy [[affidavit]]. The media has limited access to committee meetings (at selected occasions) and no access to that of its subcommittees. The government is obligated to bring to the approval of the committee various emergency activities, including ones related to or that are likely to result in war. The committee also undertakes personal [[Hearing (law)|hearing]]s for key defense and State decision makers as well as hearings for appreciable defense projects.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

During 2020, the Committee took an active role in shaping the legal framework authorizing [[Shin Bet|Shabak]] to engage in location tracking of [[coronavirus]] carriers.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Cahane|first=Amir|date=2020-11-30|title=Israel's SIGINT Oversight Ecosystem: COVID-19 Secret Service Location Tracking as a Test Case|url=https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3748401|journal=University of New Hampshire Law Review|language=en|volume=|pages=|ssrn=3748401 |via=SSRN}}</ref> Eventually, the committee drafted "the Law on Authorization to Assist in the National Effort to Reduce the Spread of the Novel Coronavirus and to Promote the Use of Civilian Technology to Trace Those Who Have Been in Close Contact with Patients (Temporary Order), 5780-2020", which was enacted by the Knesset on July 21, 2020.<ref>"[https://main.knesset.gov.il/EN/News/PressReleases/Pages/press21720y.aspx Knesset passes bill authorizing Shin Bet to assist Health Ministry in epidemiological investigations until January 20, 2021]" Knesset News (July 21,2020)</ref> Under its provisions, the committee may veto a government declaration to use Shabak for coronavirus contact tracing.<ref>[https://www.nevo.co.il/law_word/law14/law-2816.pdf Law on Authorization to Assist in the National Effort to Reduce the Spread of the Novel Coronavirus and to Promote the Use of Civilian Technology to Trace Those Who Have Been in Close Contact with Patients] (Temporary Order), 5780-2020, Section 3A (July 1, 2020) </ref>

== Chairmen ==
{{Officeholder table start
|showimage=y
|image_title=Portrait
|officeholder_title=Chairman
|showtermlenght=n
|showparty=y
|showdefencebranch=n
|showref=y
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Meir Argov.jpeg
|officeholder=[[Meir Argov]]
|officeholder_sort=Argov, Meir
|born_year=1905
|died_year=1963
|term_start=1949
|term_end=1963
|party=Mapai
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Hacohen david.jpeg
|officeholder=[[David Hacohen]]
|officeholder_sort=Hacohen, David
|born_year=1898
|died_year=1984
|term_start=1963
|term_end=1969
|party=Alignment (Israel)
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Haim Yosef Zadok.jpg
|officeholder=[[Haim Yosef Zadok]]
|officeholder_sort=Zadok, Haim Yosef
|born_year=1913
|died_year=2002
|term_start=1969
|term_end=1974
|party=Alignment (Israel)
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Yitzhak Navon 1.jpg
|officeholder=[[Yitzhak Navon]]
|officeholder_sort=Navon, Yitzhak
|born_year=1921
|died_year=2015
|term_start=1974
|term_end=1977
|party=Alignment (Israel)
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Moshe Arens.jpg
|officeholder=[[Moshe Arens]]
|officeholder_sort=Arens, Moshe
|born_year=1925
|died_year=2019
|term_start=1977
|term_end=1982
|party=Likud
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Eliyahu Ben-Elissar (1980).jpg
|officeholder=[[Eliyahu Ben-Elissar]]
|officeholder_sort=Ben-Elissar, Eliyahu
|born_year=1932
|died_year=2000
|term_start=1982
|term_end=1984
|party=Likud
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Abba Eban 1970.jpg
|officeholder=[[Abba Eban]]
|officeholder_sort=Eban, Abba
|born_year=1915
|died_year=2002
|term_start=1984
|term_end=1988
|party=Alignment (Israel)
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Eliyahu Ben-Elissar (1980).jpg
|officeholder=Eliyahu Ben-Elissar
|officeholder_sort=Ben-Elissar, Eliyahu
|born_year=1932
|died_year=2000
|term_start=1989
|term_end=1992
|party=Likud
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Ori or.JPG
|officeholder=[[Ori Orr]]
|officeholder_sort=Orr, Ori
|born_year=1939
|died_year=
|term_start=1992
|term_end=1995
|party=Israeli Labor Party
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Hagai Meirom (00320533).jpg
|officeholder=[[Hagai Meirom]]
|officeholder_sort=Merom, Hagai
|born_year=1946
|died_year=
|term_start=1995
|term_end=1996
|party=Israeli Labor Party
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Uzi Landau 001.jpg
|officeholder=[[Uzi Landau]]
|officeholder_sort=Landau, Uzi
|born_year=1943
|died_year=
|term_start=1996
|term_end=1999
|party=Likud
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Reuven Rivlin receives the report of the Public Committee to Examine the Elections Law, November 2017 (7373) (cropped).jpg
|officeholder=[[Dan Meridor]]
|officeholder_sort=Meridor, Dan
|born_year=1947
|died_year=
|term_start=1999
|term_end=2001
|party=Center Party (Israel)
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=David Magen (00320688).jpg
|officeholder=[[David Magen]]
|officeholder_sort=Magen, David
|born_year=1945
|died_year=
|term_start=2001
|term_end=2002
|party=Likud
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Chaim Ramon (IH002108781006).jpg
|officeholder=[[Haim Ramon]]
|officeholder_sort=Ramon, Haim
|born_year=1950
|died_year=
|term_start=2002
|term_end=2003
|party=Israeli Labor Party
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=יובל שטייניץ.jpg
|officeholder=[[Yuval Steinitz]]
|officeholder_sort=Steinitz, Yuval
|born_year=1958
|died_year=
|term_start=2003
|term_end=2006
|party=Likud
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Tzachi Hanegbi. Photo by Haim Zach - GPO.jpg
|officeholder=[[Tzachi Hanegbi]]
|officeholder_sort=Hanegbi, Tzachi
|born_year=1957
|died_year=
|term_start=2006
|term_end=2010
|party=Kadima
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Secretary Clinton Meets With Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Mofaz (7414559360) (cropped).jpg
|officeholder=[[Shaul Mofaz]]
|officeholder_sort=Mofaz, Shaul
|born_year=1948
|died_year=
|term_start=2010
|term_end=2012
|party=Kadima
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Zucky Crystal exhibition for the memory of Hanna Zemer רוני בר-און (8357798080) (cropped).jpg
|officeholder=[[Roni Bar-On]]
|officeholder_sort=Bar-On, ROni
|born_year=1948
|died_year=
|term_start=2012
|term_end=2013
|party=Kadima
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Avigdor Lieberman 2017.jpg
|officeholder=[[Avigdor Lieberman]]
|officeholder_sort=Lieberman, Avigdor
|born_year=1958
|died_year=
|term_start=2013
|term_end=2013
|party=Yisrael Beiteinu
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=יולי אדלשטיין - תמונת פרופיל.jpg
|officeholder=[[Yuli Edelstein]]
|officeholder_sort=Edelstein, Yuli
|born_year=1958
|died_year=
|term_start=2013
|term_end=2014
|party=Likud
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=זאב אלקין (cropped).png
|officeholder=[[Ze'ev Elkin]]
|officeholder_sort=Elkin, Ze'ev
|born_year=1971
|died_year=
|term_start=2014
|term_end=2015
|party=Likud
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Yariv Levin (cropped).JPG
|officeholder=[[Yariv Levin]]
|officeholder_sort=Levin, Yariv
|born_year=1969
|died_year=
|term_start=2015
|term_end=2015
|party=Likud
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Tzachi Hanegbi. Photo by Haim Zach - GPO.jpg
|officeholder=[[Tzachi Hanegbi]]
|officeholder_sort=Hanegbi, Tzachi
|born_year=1957
|died_year=
|term_start=2015
|term_end=2016
|party=Likud
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Dichter.jpg
|officeholder=[[Avi Dichter]]
|officeholder_sort=Dichter, Avi
|born_year=1952
|died_year=
|term_start=2016
|term_end=2019
|party=Likud
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Secretary Pompeo Meets With Foreign Minister-Designate Gabi Ashkenazi (49889664393) (cropped) (cropped).jpg
|officeholder=[[Gabi Ashkenazi]]
|officeholder_sort=Ashkenazi, Gabi
|born_year=1954
|died_year=
|term_start=2019
|term_end=2020
|party=Blue and White (political alliance)
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=צבי האוזר - חוסן לישראל.jpg
|officeholder=[[Zvi Hauser]]
|officeholder_sort=Hauser, Zvi
|born_year=1968
|died_year=
|term_start=2020
|term_end=2021
|party=Derekh Eretz (political faction)
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Orna Barbivai.jpg
|officeholder=[[Orna Barbivai]]
|officeholder_sort=Barbivai, Orna
|born_year=1962
|died_year=
|term_start=2021
|term_end=2021
|party=Yesh Atid
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=Ram Ben-Barak (cropped).jpg
|officeholder=[[Ram Ben-Barak]]
|officeholder_sort=Ben-Barak, Ram
|born_year=1958
|died_year=
|term_start=2021
|term_end=2022
|party=Yesh Atid
|ref=
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=יואב גלנט - כנס שדרות לחברה במכללה האקדמית ספיר-2 (cropped).JPG
|officeholder=[[Yoav Gallant]]
|officeholder_sort=Gallant, Yoav
|born_year=1958
|died_year=
|term_start=2022
|term_end=2022
|party=Likud
|ref=<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yoav Gallant appointed new Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chief |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-722976 |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en-US |date=2022-11-21}}</ref>
}}
{{Officeholder table
|image=יולי אדלשטיין - תמונת פרופיל.jpg
|officeholder=Yuli Edelstein
|officeholder_sort=Edelstein, Yuli
|born_year=1958
|died_year=
|term_start=2023
|party=Likud
|ref=<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ravid |first=Barak |date=2023-03-21 |title=U.S. slams new West Bank law, says it's a violation of Israeli commitments |url=https://www.axios.com/2023/03/21/biden-israeli-law-repeal-northern-west-bank |access-date=2023-03-28 |website=Axios |language=en}}</ref>
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}

==Subcommittees==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
*Subcommittee for Legislation
*Subcommittee for Foreign Affairs and Public Diplomacy
*Subcommittee for [[Israeli Intelligence Community|Intelligence]] and Secret Services
*Subcommittee for Personnel in the [[Israel Defense Forces]] (IDF)
{{col-2}}
*Subcommittee for Security Perception
*Subcommittee for the State of Alert and Field Security
*Subcommittee for the Examination of [[Israeli Home Front Command|Home-Front]] Readiness
*Subcommittee on [[Lawfare]]
{{col-end}}

==Overseen bodies==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
*The [[Office of the Prime Minister (Israel)|Prime Minister's Office]], including [[Mossad]] and [[Shin Bet|Shabak]]
*The [[Ministry of Defense (Israel)|Ministry of Defense]], including the IDF, the [[Malmab]] (Ministry's security arm), and the [[Israel Military Industries|military industries]] and [[Administration for the Development of Weapons and the Technological Industry|development bodies]]
{{col-2}}
*The [[Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel|Foreign Ministry]]
*The [[Israeli National Security Council|National Security Council]]
*The [[Ministry of Public Security (Israel)|Ministry of Public Security]] and the [[Israeli Police|Police]] (on security matters)
{{col-end}}

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[https://www.knesset.gov.il/committees/eng/committee_eng.asp?c_id=4 Official site]

{{Committees of the Knesset}}
{{Chairmen of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Foreign Affairs And Defense Committee}}
[[Category:Legislative branch of Israel]]
[[Category:Israeli Security Forces]]
[[Category:Foreign relations of Israel]]
[[Category:Israel Defense Forces]]
[[Category:Committees of the Knesset]]