Israel Katz is an Israeli politician and a member of the Knesset for Likud. He currently serves as Minister of Defense and is a member of the Security Cabinet of Israel, a position he was nominated for in November 2024. Katz has been recognized for his role in modernizing Israel's transportation infrastructure, which includes the expansion of highways, the development of high-speed rail, and reforms to Israel's ports that aimed to increase competition and reduce shipping costs.