Gil Shwed
Gil ShwedMiriam Alster/Flash 90

Israeli high-tech entrepreneur Gil Shwed will be awarded the Israel Prize for the year 5778, and will receive the award at the festive ceremony to take place on this coming Independence Day.

"In the 70th year of Israel, I initiated a new category for the Israel Prize: Hi-Tech. I was happy to tell Gil Shwed about his award" Education Minister Naftali Bennett said on Twitter.

Bennett continued with the reasons for choosing Shwed:, "Gil Shwed is a pioneer of the Start Up Nation, and as a graduate of [IDF elite intelligence unit] 8200, he founded Check Point, paved the way and inspired me and thousands of Israeli high-tech entrepreneurs, and contributes his energies to education in Israel."