Greg Abbott

Greg Abbott has served as the 48th Governor of Texas since January 2015, having previously served as Texas Attorney General from 2002 to 2015 and as a Justice on the Texas Supreme Court from 1996 to 2001. Born November 13, 1957, Abbott became a paraplegic in 1984 after a tree fell on him while jogging — an event that forged the resilience and directness that has characterized his political career. Under his leadership, Texas has become the most aggressively pro-Israel state government in the nation, implementing a comprehensive anti-BDS framework and declaring through word and deed that the Texas-Israel relationship is a cornerstone of state foreign policy. Abbott's signature declaration — "Anybody who is an enemy of Israel is an enemy of Texas" — is not merely rhetorical: it has been backed by legislation, executive action, and three personal trips to Israel since taking office.

Abbott signed Texas's first anti-BDS legislation, making the state the 18th in the nation to take such action, and after a federal court challenge amended it in 2019 with House Bill 793, which focused enforcement on state contracts above $100,000. His administration has enforced these laws rigorously, with the Attorney General's office issuing guidance that any state vendor engaging in Israel boycotts is disqualified from state business. In November 2023, within weeks of the Hamas attack of October 7, Abbott traveled to Israel to express direct solidarity — his second such trip since taking office — meeting with Israeli leaders and pledging Texas's enduring support. In April 2026, he made his third trip, and separately sent a letter threatening funding consequences for the City of San Marcos over a proposed city council resolution he characterized as antisemitic and in violation of Texas law.

Abbott received the Friends of Zion Heritage Center's highest honor in Jerusalem, standing alongside Israeli leaders who consider Texas a uniquely committed partner in the American-Israeli relationship. His influence extends beyond his own state: Texas's anti-BDS model has been adopted by governors across the country, and Abbott's vocal advocacy has shifted what it means to be a pro-Israel governor from a symbolic position to an active legal and diplomatic one. At Rank 9, Abbott represents the power of state-level leadership to advance the Israel alliance in ways that complement, reinforce, and sometimes outpace federal action.