Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed Shmuel Ben Ezra as the new head of Israel’s National Security Council, placing a highly respected but relatively unknown security expert in one of the country’s most important positions.
Ben Ezra spent approximately 30 years in Israel’s defense establishment. He previously headed the Shin Bet’s operational technology and cyber division and led the development of the Arrow 3 missile interceptor, which has played a critical role in defending Israel from Iranian ballistic missiles. His work on the Arrow program earned him the Israel Defense Prize.
Those who know Ben Ezra describe him as exceptionally intelligent, modest, deeply principled and highly analytical. He holds several advanced degrees, including in applied physics, business administration and national security, earning high honors throughout his academic career. He is also a rabbi and the father of 12 children, including five sons who became officers.
The appointment reflects Netanyahu’s effort to reshape Israel’s senior security leadership following the failures that preceded the October 7 massacre. Ben Ezra joins newly appointed Mossad chief Roman Gofman and Shin Bet chief David Zini, officials viewed as aggressive, independent thinkers who were not part of the security establishment’s failed assumptions.
