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Jacob Nagel

Jacob Nagel is an Israeli engineer and reserve brigadier general who served as acting head of the National Security Council from 2016 to 2017.

born 1957Acting head of National Security CouncilCommittee recommending Iron DomeReconciliation agreement with TurkeyDefense budget review committee

Occupation: engineer, military personnel
Rank: tat aluf

Jacob Nagel was born in 1957

Jacob Nagel was born in 1957. He earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and management from the Technion in 1979. In 1984 he received an MBA from Tel Aviv University.

Nagel served 17 years in research and development roles in Unit 8200. In 1996 he moved to the Defense Ministry's research and development directorate, MAFAT, and he left the IDF in 2002 while staying on there as a civilian. As deputy head of MAFAT, he led the committee that recommended Iron Dome over the Skyguard system.

From April 2011 he was deputy head of the National Security Council. In January 2016 he became its acting head after Yossi Cohen was named head of the Mossad. In that role he handled the US aid agreement, led Israel's team on the Iran nuclear deal and signed the reconciliation agreement with Turkey, and he left the post in March 2017.

Nagel is a visiting professor of aerospace engineering at the Technion and a visiting fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. In 2018 he withdrew from a senior appointments committee after the High Court froze his appointment following a petition. Since 2024 he has headed government committees on the defense budget and on artificial intelligence.

Jacob Nagel's life in 10 milestones

1979
Earned a bachelor's degree from the Technion.
1996
Moved to MAFAT at the Defense Ministry.
2002
Left the IDF and stayed at MAFAT as a civilian.
2011
Became deputy head of the National Security Council.
2016
Became acting head of the National Security Council.
2017
Ended his term and was replaced by Eitan Ben-David.
2018
Withdrew from the senior appointments committee.
2022
Published a book on the 2021 Gaza conflict with Jonathan Schanzer.
2024
Was named head of the public committee on defense force buildup and budget.
2025
Was named head of a committee on artificial intelligence.

Jacob Nagel served in Unit 8200

Nagel served 17 years in research and development roles in Unit 8200 and left the IDF in 2002. He holds the rank of brigadier general in the reserves.

Unit 8200