Yitzhak Wasserlauf | |
|---|---|
 Wasserlauf in 2022 | |
| Ministerial roles | |
| 2022–2025 | Minister for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev, and the Galilee |
| 2025– | Minister for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev, and the Galilee |
| Faction represented in theKnesset | |
| 2022– | Otzma Yehudit |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1992-08-14)14 August 1992 (age 33) |
Yitzhak Shimon Wasserlauf (Hebrew:יצחק שמעון וסרלאוף; born 14 August 1992)[1] is an Israeli politician who has served as theMinister for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev, and the Galilee since 2025, and currently serves as a member ofKnesset forOtzma Yehudit, following the2022 Israeli legislative election.
Wasserlauf was born in theOld City of Jerusalem to areligious Zionist family. He became the deputy chairman of the youth wing of theNational Union Party at age 17.[2][3]
He participated in thehesder program during his enlistment in theIsrael Defense Forces'Golani Brigade, allowing him to divide his time betweenyeshiva and army service.[3] Between 2014 and 2019, he taught at the Hesder Yeshiva Oz Ve'emuna inTel Aviv, which he founded alongside Rabbi Ahiad Ettinger. Ettinger was killed in a shooting nearAriel in 2019.[2][4]
For theSeptember 2019 Knesset elections he was placed fourth in theOtzma Yehudit list, but was not elected to theKnesset asOtzma Yehudit was below the election threshold. Placed second in the2020 Israeli legislative election, the party again did not pass the election threshold.
Prior to the elections for the 21stKnesset he joinedOtzma Yehudit.[1] In the elections for the 25th Knesset, he was placed fifth on the list, which won 14 mandates. Wasserlauf was elected to the Knesset[5] and sworn in on 15 November 2022.[6] He was appointed to theMinistry for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev, and the Galilee.[7] Upon being sworn in on 15 November 2022, Wasserlauf became the youngest member of the 25th Knesset.[8]
On 17 January 2025 Otzma Yehudit held a press conference in which they announced their intention to withdraw from the coalition if the government accepted thethree-phase ceasefire proposal.[9] The proposal was accepted, and Wasserlauf subsequently resigned alongside the rest of the party's ministers when the ceasefire went into effect on 19 January 2025.[10] His term ended on 21 January.[11] Otzma Yehudit has stated its intention to rejoin the governing coalition if the deal does not result in a permanent ceasefire.[9]
The cabinet approved Wasserlauf's re-appointment on 18 March,[12] and it was approved by the Knesset the following day.[13]
Wasserlauf lives in a neighborhood in northernTel Aviv. He previously lived in the neighborhood ofShapira.[14] He is married, and has three children.[3]