The Ministry of Intelligence was established in 2009 to coordinate between the various agencies in the
Israeli Intelligence Community, including the
Mossad,
Shin Bet,
Aman, and the
Israeli Foreign Ministry's intelligence gathering operations. The Ministry of Intelligence was based on the model of the United States' Office of the
Director of National Intelligence. It is charged with maintaining contact with the intelligence organizations and ensuring that they execute the directives of the political echelon; examining the structure of the intelligence organizations and initiating and leading plans for their improvement; formulating a work plan for the intelligence community, in coordination with the heads of all its members; designing and synchronizing national projects that relate to the intelligence community in its entirety; acting as a mediator between the heads of the various organizations in the intelligence community; drafting recommendations for the Prime Minister when needed; and performing budgetary oversight for the intelligence organizations. In addition, the Ministry of Intelligence develops and creates national-civilian intelligence, which deals with broader aspects of national security. This intelligence supports planning and strategic decision-making processes in all government ministries by linking security aspects with civilian ones. recommending forcibly transferring
Gaza Strip's 2.3 million residents to Egypt's
Sinai Peninsula, was leaked to the media. This triggered a negative international reaction, being widely described as "advocacy for
ethnic cleansing". Several weeks later, on November 19, 2023, in an opinion piece in
The Jerusalem Post, minister of Intelligence
Gila Gamliel backed the voluntary resettlement of Gazans outside the
Gaza Strip, which she said
members of the Knesset across the political spectrum supported. Amidst unplanned expenses due to the
Gaza war, the
Israeli Finance Ministry in January 2024 proposed closing the Intelligence Ministry along with nine other ministries. According to
Haaretz, the ministry had not fulfilled its main purpose and was often a job given to senior MJs for whom there were no suitable ministries. In March 2024, the
Israeli cabinet approved abolishing the Intelligence Ministry and moving its functions to the Prime Minister's Office. Sitting minister Gila Gamliel became the
Science and Technology Minister, replacing
Ofir Akunis. ==List of ministers==