Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer Resigns - Citing Personal Reasons and Promise to Family

Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, ending his tenure after nearly three years in office. Dermer, one of Netanyahu’s closest advisers and confidants, cited personal reasons for his decision, saying he had promised his family to serve only two years and had already extended his term twice due to the country’s security challenges.

In his letter, Dermer wrote:

“This government will be remembered both for the October 7 attack and for managing the two-year, seven-front war that followed.”

He added that his decision to stay on beyond the original commitment was made out of a sense of national duty:

“On the day I was sworn in, I promised my family I would serve only two years in office. I extended my term twice, with their blessing — first, to work with you to remove the existential threat posed by Iran’s nuclear military capabilities, and second, to end the war in Gaza on Israel’s terms and bring our hostages home.”

Dermer, who has long played a central role in Israel’s strategic and diplomatic affairs — particularly in U.S.-Israel relations and regional normalization efforts — expressed gratitude toward Netanyahu:

“I would like to thank you for the opportunity to serve closely by your side for the past three years, and for the trust you placed in me to address the most significant issues facing the State of Israel at this crucial time.”