Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will establish an 11-member security cabinet that will be authorized to make decisions for the government on matters of national security.

The cabinet seats will be filled by Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Energy Minister Israel Katz.

While Regev will be the only woman in the security cabinet, the makeup of the ministers will give Netanyahu a clear majority that will likely follow his lead on key votes. The idea behind the addition of some of the ministers was to provide a counter-balance to Ben-Gvir and Smotrich who are considered to be more hawkish in their diplomatic and security positions.

Minister of Transportation Miri Regev seen during a government conference at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem on January 3, 2023. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Minister of Transportation Miri Regev seen during a government conference at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem on January 3, 2023. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Traditionally, the security cabinet regularly meets – sometimes weekly – to discuss key ongoing IDF, Mossad or Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) operations as well as tough diplomatic matters, such as settlement construction in the West Bank.

Frequent participants include the IDF chief of staff, the head of Military Intelligence, the head of the Mossad, head of the Shin Bet, director-general of the Foreign Ministry, as well as additional government and security officials needed on a case-by-case basis.

Netanyahu's key allies in the cabinet will include Deri who has been said to be one of the more thoughtful and level-headed ministers in diplomatic-security debates in the past. Dermer is also expected to play a key role due to his close relationship with the prime minister and his expertise when it comes to the US-Israel relationship.

In the past, Netanyahu has also created smaller decision-making or consultation forums. In 2010, for example, he created a sub cabinet to the security cabinet that was called the “group of eight” and would meet regularly to discuss Israeli preparations for a strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.