The Prime Minister’s Office is undergoing significant personnel changes that are expected to reshape its core leadership team ahead of the October 2026 election.
With several senior figures recently stepping down, questions are mounting about who will fill the void left by some of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest advisers.
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Attorney Ziv Agmon, Benjamin Netanyahu, Tzachi Braverman
(Photo: Ofer Hajyoub, Chaim Goldberg/Flash90, Ohad Zwigenberg)
Among the most notable departures is Ron Dermer, Netanyahu’s longtime confidant on foreign and defense affairs, who resigned last month from his post as strategic affairs minister. While officially stepping back, Dermer is expected to continue serving as a behind-the-scenes envoy for sensitive missions, much like Netanyahu’s former diplomatic emissary, attorney Yitzhak Molcho.
Dermer has not fully severed ties with Netanyahu. He is likely to remain involved in discreet assignments, albeit with far less day-to-day influence. By resigning, he not only relinquished his ministerial responsibilities but also distanced himself from the frequent protests held outside his Jerusalem residence.
In Dermer’s absence, responsibility for managing Israel’s relationship with the United States has shifted to four key figures. Yehiel (Michael) Leiter, Israel’s ambassador in Washington, is considered particularly close to President Donald Trump’s circle and maintains direct lines of communication with senior figures in the U.S. administration. Dr. Ophir Falk, Netanyahu’s foreign policy adviser, has taken on a more prominent role in shaping ties with Washington.
Another influential figure is Caroline Glick, a senior adviser to Netanyahu, who has stepped up her involvement in U.S. contacts and is increasingly viewed as Dermer’s unofficial successor.
Rounding out the group is businessman Michael Eisenberg, appointed by Netanyahu to represent him at the American operations hub in Kiryat Gat. Although he was briefly sidelined at the request of First Lady Sara Netanyahu, Eisenberg was reinstated under American pressure as the prime minister’s liaison to the Civil-Military Coordination Center. He is highly regarded by U.S. officials and is assuming a more significant role in the ongoing coordination between the two governments.
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Dr. Ophir Falk, Michael Eisenberg, Caroline Glick, Ambassador Yehiel (Michael) Leiter
(Photo: TASOS KATOPODIS / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP, Kobi Kuenkas)
Despite the reshuffling, Netanyahu has no current plans to formally replace Dermer. Instead, this four-person team is expected to continue managing U.S.-Israel relations.
In another major personnel shift, Netanyahu dismissed National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi in October but has yet to appoint a permanent replacement. His deputy at the National Security Council (NSC), Gil Reich, has been tapped as acting chief and appears to have established a strong working relationship with Netanyahu. Behind the scenes, however, a search is underway for a long-term successor.
Still, with elections looming, it's unclear whether a permanent appointment will materialize. Reich, a seasoned professional who also served at the NSC under former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, may stay in the role for an extended period. Widely respected across political lines, he is seen as a capable civil servant who brings vital institutional memory to the role.
Major shake-up in prime minister’s communications office
Tzachi Braverman, Netanyahu’s chief of staff and one of the closest figures to both the prime minister and his wife Sara, has received final approval from the UK to become Israel’s next ambassador to London.
According to estimates, Braverman will coordinate Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate later this month before formally assuming the ambassadorship. He has already participated in a recent ambassadors’ conference at the Foreign Ministry as though he were fully in the role.
With Braverman stepping down, the expected successor is attorney Ziv Agmon, who currently serves as Netanyahu’s spokesperson. While some journalists have raised concerns about his style, Agmon has implemented major structural changes in the Prime Minister’s media operations. The communications team now includes around ten staffers, and the English-language media division has been significantly strengthened with the addition of Shosh Bedrosian, who now handles briefings for the foreign press and is reportedly performing well.
Agmon, a former managing partner at a major law firm, is considered close to Sara Netanyahu and has recently grown closer to the prime minister himself. At a recent meeting between Netanyahu and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, Agmon sat in the chair previously reserved for Braverman, who was notably absent—a move widely interpreted as a sign of Agmon’s imminent promotion to chief of staff.
Within Netanyahu’s inner circle, there is broad agreement that Agmon is better suited to the chief of staff role than to media relations. A formal announcement of his appointment is expected soon. Behind the scenes, the search for a new spokesperson is already underway.