This page is subject to the extended confirmed restriction related to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Israel Katz was born in Ashkelon. He was drafted into the Israel Defense Force in and served in the Paratroopers Brigade as a soldier and squad leader. In , he completed Officer Candidate School and returned to the Paratroopers Brigade as a platoon leader.
In March , he was suspended for a year for his participation in a protest against Arab violence on campus that included locking the rector, Raphael Mechoulam , in his room. Katz is married and has two children. Katz was first listed on 45th on Likud list on Israeli legislative election , but missed out when Likud only won 32 seats. Katz won 34th place on the Likud - Gesher - Tzomet list for the elections , but missed out on a place in the Knesset when the alliance won only 32 seats.
However, he entered the Knesset in November as a replacement for Ehud Olmert. He was re-elected in and , and was appointed Minister of Agriculture in Ariel Sharon 's government in Katz left the cabinet in January after the Likudβ Kadima split, and was re-elected in the elections.
In January , Katz announced a plan to substantially increase the number of settlers in the Golan Heights. In March , the Israel Police recommended indicting Katz on charges of fraud and breach of trust linked to political appointments at the Ministry of Agriculture during his tenure as minister.
The report found 24 seasonal ministry employees were members of the Likud Central Committee or were children of committee members. The police transferred their investigative material to the central district prosecution.
