The new head of the National Security Council,Meir Ben-Shabbat, has served in the past three years as the Southern Region director of the GSS (equivalent in rank to general) . Ben-Shabbat, a Religious Zionist, served in the Givati Brigade and then joined the GSS.
Ben-Shabbat (51), married and a father of 4, served in a number of roles in the past including directorship of cyber , anti-terror and espionage units in the GSS.