Gideon Sa'ar
A shrewd political operator who rose within Netanyahu's Likud, then broke away to challenge his former mentor and reshape Israel's right-wing landscape.
Born 1966 (age 60)·Israeli politician·Birthday: December 9·Generation X
Biography
Gideon Sa'ar's career is a study in calculated ambition within the turbulent arena of Israeli politics. A lawyer by training, he cut his teeth as a journalist and government secretary before entering the Knesset with Likud in 2003. He quickly established himself as a disciplined and effective minister, first at the helm of the Education Ministry and later as Interior Minister, where he pushed a nationalist agenda on citizenship. Long seen as a natural successor to Benjamin Netanyahu, their relationship frayed, leading to Sa'ar's temporary exit from politics. His return in 2019 was followed by a bold gambit: he left Likud to form 'New Hope', a party that directly challenged Netanyahu's leadership from the right. Though the party's lifespan was short, Sa'ar's maneuver helped topple the long-serving premier. After a stint in a coalition government, he executed another pivot, merging his political operation with the established National Unity party and securing the powerful Foreign Minister portfolio. His path reflects a persistent drive for influence, navigating alliances and rivalries with a cool, strategic precision.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Gideon was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Gideon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Gideon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as Israel's Minister of Education from 2009 to 2013, overseeing significant reforms and a focus on Zionist values.
- Founded the 'New Hope' party in 2020, which played a pivotal role in ending Benjamin Netanyahu's consecutive tenure as Prime Minister.
- Appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2022 as a key figure in the National Unity party.
- Previously served as Minister of the Interior, where he advanced policies tightening regulations on citizenship and residency.
Did You Know?
He is married to Israeli news anchor Geula Even, and their wedding was a major social event covered by local media.
Sa'ar took a break from politics from 2014 to 2019, during which he was a columnist for the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.
He served as Cabinet Secretary under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon from 2001 to 2003.
During his military service, he was a reporter and editor for the Israel Defense Forces magazine 'Bamahane'.
“The state's right to defend itself is not a matter for debate.”
