Haim Katz

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = Haim Katz 2023.jpg

| caption = Katz in 2023

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|12|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Germany

| office1 = Ministerial roles

| suboffice1 = Minister of Labor, Welfare and Social Services

| subterm1 = 2015–2019

| suboffice2 = Minister of Tourism

| subterm2 = 2022–

| suboffice3 = Minister of National Security

| subterm3 = 2025

| suboffice4 = Minister of Heritage

| subterm4 = 2025

| suboffice5 = Minister of Development of the Periphery, the Negev and the Galilee

| subterm5 = 2025

| office6 = Faction represented in the Knesset

| suboffice6 = One Nation

| subterm6 = 1999–2003

| suboffice7 = Likud

| subterm7 = 2003–2023

}}

Haim Katz ({{langx|he|חַיִּים כַּץ}}; born 21 December 1947) is an Israeli politician.{{Cite news |last=Alon |first=Amir |date=2025-02-10|title=For first time since 2022, Arab lawmakers meet with acting national security minister to tackle soaring homicide rates|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/for-first-time-since-2022-arab-lawmakers-meet-with-acting-national-security-minister-to-tackle-soaring-homicide-rates/|access-date=2025-02-10 |work=The Times of Israel|language=en}} He currently serves as the Minister of Tourism. Katz was the Minister of Labor, Welfare and Social Services from 2015 to 2019, served as the Minister of National Security, Minister of Heritage and Minister of Development of the Periphery, the Negev and the Galilee in 2025, and served as a member of the Knesset for One Nation between 1999 and 2003, and for Likud between 2003 and 2023.

Biography

Born in Germany in 1947, Katz emigrated to Israel in 1949. After finishing school and national service with the rank of master sergeant, he worked as an electronics technician. He became involved with trade unions when he became a member of the workers' council at Israel Aerospace Industries in 1983, and was also chairman of the technicians and engineers' union. In 1993 he became secretary of the National Workers Union of Israel Aircraft Industries, and was appointed chairman of the pension funds policy team of the Histadrut in 1996.{{Cite web |title=Haim Katz, MK |url=https://embassies.gov.il/MFA/AboutIsrael/state/Personalities/Pages/Haim-Katz-MK.aspx |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=embassies.gov.il |language=en}} Katz founded the Oz ({{langx|he|עוז||Strength}}) faction within the Histadrut.{{Cite web |title=Haim Katz |url=https://m.knesset.gov.il/EN/mk/Pages/MKPub.aspx?MKID=212 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=m.knesset.gov.il}}

Katz lives in Shoham{{Cite news |last=Alon |first=Amir |date=2018-01-14 |title=Disabled protests: protesters preparing to spend night outside welfare minister's home |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5071012,00.html |access-date=2025-01-24 |work=Ynetnews |language=en}} and is married with three children. He is also a member of the Israel Football Association.

Knesset

In 1999 Katz joined the new One Nation party. He was placed second on its list for the elections that year,{{cite news |url=http://info.jpost.com/1999/Supplements/Elections99/politicalblocs/partylists.shtml |title=Parties and Lists |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010418024116/http://info.jpost.com/1999/Supplements/Elections99/politicalblocs/partylists.shtml |archive-date=18 April 2001}} and was elected to the Knesset when the party won two seats.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Shortly before the 2003 election, he defected to Likud and was placed 37th on its list.{{cite web |url=http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/aboutisrael/history/pages/candidates%20for%20the%2016th%20knesset.aspx |title=Candidates for the 16th Knesset |year=2003 |publisher=Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs |access-date=6 April 2015}} He was re-elected as the party won 38 seats. As a Likud MK he was appointed Chairman of the Labour, Welfare and Health Committee. He also initiated a bill banning MKs from serving as head of the Histadrut, meaning Amir Peretz had to resign from his post as Histadrut leader.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

In the Likud primaries for the 2006 election, Katz gained thirteenth place on the party's list. Likud won only twelve seats and he lost his seat. However, when Natan Sharansky resigned from the Knesset in November 2006, Katz replaced him as the next member on the list. He retained his seat in the 2009 elections, for which he was placed fourteenth on the Likud list. He was re-elected again in 2013 and 2015, after which he was appointed Minister of Welfare and Social Services in the 2015 Netanyahu government. On 15 December 2019 Katz announced that he would support Gideon Sa'ar in the Likud leadership election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Haim-Katz-I-will-support-Gideon-Saar-in-Likud-primary-610992|title=Haim Katz: I will support Gideon Sa'ar in Likud primary|website=The Jerusalem Post|date=15 December 2016|access-date=15 December 2019}}

Katz was appointed Minister of Tourism on 29 December 2022. He resigned from the Knesset on 6 January 2023 as part of the Norwegian Law.{{Cite web |title=חבר הכנסת חיים כץ |url=https://main.knesset.gov.il/mk/Apps/mk/mk-print/212 |access-date=13 January 2023 |website=Knesset |language=he}}

On 26 September 2023, Katz became the first Israeli cabinet member to publicly visit Saudi Arabia to attend a UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) conference.{{cite news |title=Tourism Min. Katz becomes first Israeli minister to publicly visit Saudi Arabia |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-760509 |access-date=26 September 2023 |work=Jerusalem Post |date=26 September 2023}}

On 23 January 2025, he was appointed as interim minister for the Ministry of National Security, Heritage Ministry, and Ministry for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev and the Galilee, for a temporary term of three months after their previous ministers—Otzma Yehudit MKs Itamar Ben-Gvir, Amihai Eliyahu, and Yitzhak Wasserlauf—resigned from their positions in protest of the 2025 Gaza war ceasefire. Katz also joined the Security Cabinet.{{Cite web |title=Tourism Minister Haim Katz tapped to run all 3 of Otzma Yehudit’s former ministries|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/haim-katz-tapped-to-take-over-all-3-of-otzma-yehudits-ministerial-portfolios/|access-date=23 January 2025 |website=The Times of Israel |language=en-US|date=23 January 2025|first=Sam|last=Sokol}} Two months later, the three portfolios were given back to Otzma Yehudit after they rejoined the government.{{Cite web |title=Ben Gvir reappointed police minister as Knesset okays his party’s return to government|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/ben-gvir-reappointed-police-minister-as-knesset-okays-his-partys-return-to-government/|access-date=20 March 2025 |website=The Times of Israel |language=en-US|date=20 March 2025|first=Sam|last=Sokol}}

Controversy

On 9 November 2021, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit filed charges against Katz after Katz waived his parliamentary immunity and agreed to a plea deal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/likud-mk-indicted-for-graft-in-plea-deal-will-avoid-jail-time/|title=Likud MK indicted for graft in plea deal, will avoid jail time|website=The Times of Israel|date=9 November 2021|access-date=9 November 2021}} In December 2021 Katz admitted and was charged with conflict of interest and conspiracy to achieve a lawful purpose by improper means. He was expected to receive a suspended sentence and financial penalties.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-689866/|title=Haim Katz convicted of minor fraud in plea deal, asks for suspended sentence|website=The Jerusalem Post|first=Yonah|last=Jeremy Bob|date=27 December 2021|access-date=27 December 2021}}