Moshe Arens (born December 27 1925 in Kaunas, Lithuania) is an Israeli politician. He was a member of the Likud party, and served as minister of defense of Israel three times.
Arens immigrated to the United States with his family in 1939 and became an American citizen. In 1948, when Israel achieved its independence and began fighting wars with the Arabs, Arens immigrated to Israel and became a right-wing activist, joining the Irgun forces, which were led by Menachem Begin, a man who he would work with much in his political career. After the war he entered politics, eventually being elected to the Knesset and becoming chairman of its committee on foreign affairs and defense.
In 1981, Begin, who was prime mnister at that time, appointed Arens to be the ambassador to the United States. He left that position in 1983 when he became defense minister for the first time, replacing Ariel Sharon. In 1984 he became minister without portfolio in the national unity government. In December 1988, in the government of Yitzhak Shamir, he became foreign minister until June 1990, when Shamir appointed him defense minister again. He held that position until 1992, when Likud lost the election. He continued to be a hardliner in Israel's relations with the Palestinians and Arabs.
Arens then retired from politics until 1999, when he challenged his protege Benjamin Netanyahu for leadership of Likud. Though he received only 18% of the vote, Netanyahu brought him into the government as defense minister in January 1999, sacking Yitzhak Mordechai . He retired from politics permanently later in 1999 when Likud lost the election.
