Tzachi Hanegbi was born in Jerusalem in 1957.
He served as a paratrooper in the IDF and studied international relations, earning a B.A. and a Law degree at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Tzachi Hanegbi was Director of the Prime Minister's Office from 1986-88. He has also served as Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (1984-86) and Assistant to the Minister of Transport (1983-84). He has been the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Likud since 1997.
A Member of Knesset since 1988, he served in the 12th Knesset (1988-92) as a member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, the Committee on Constitution, Law and Justice, the Knesset House Committee, the Commmittee on Labor and Social Welfare, and the Committee on Education and Culture. In the 13th Knesset (1992-96) he served as Chairman of the Knesset Economics Affairs Committee in rotation, and as member of the Committee on Constitution, Law and Justice.
In June 1996, he was appointed Minister of Health, which position he held until November 1996. In September 1996 he was appointed Acting Minister of Justice, and in November 1996, Minister of Justice, serving until July 1999. He was elected to the 15th Knesset in May 1999 and from 1999-2001 served as a member of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.
In March 2001 he was apointed Minister of the Environment, and in December 2002 was also appointed Minister of Transport, holding these posts until the formation of the new government in February 2003.
In February 2003 Tzachi Hanegbi was appointed Minister of Public Security. In September 2004 he was reassigned Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, serving until May 2006.
Tzachi Hanegbi is married and has three children.