Eli Ben-Menachem
Encyclopedia
Eli Ben-Menachem is a former Israel
i politician who served as a member of the Knesset
for the Alignment
, the Labor Party and One Israel
between 1988 and 2006.
, Union of India (today Mumbai), Ben-Menachem immigrated
to Israel in 1949. He studied at a military academy, and worked as an aircraft technician, eventually becoming chairman of the El Al
workers' union.
In 1988 he was elected
to the Knesset on the Alignment
list. After being re-elected
in 1992 (this time on the Labor Party list), he was appointed Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
on 4 August 1992. On 8 April 1993 he became Deputy Minister of Housing and Construction
, a post he held until Binyamin Netanyahu formed a Likud
-led government in 1996. Following the 1996 elections
, Ben-Menachem became chairman of the committee on Drug Abuse.
He was placed 27th on the One Israel
list (an alliance of Labor, Gesher and Meimad
) for the May 1999 elections, and lost his seat when the alliance won only 26 mandates. However, he re-entered the Knesset when Yossi Beilin
resigned his seat in November that year. When Ariel Sharon
formed a government of national unity in March 2001, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade
, serving until Labor withdrew from the coalition in November 2002.
He retained his seat in the 2003 elections and became a Deputy Speaker of the Knesset. During Labor's stint in the Ariel Sharon government between January and November 2005, Ben-Menachem was re-appointed Deputy Minister of Housing and Construction.
After losing the slot on Labor's list reserved for the representaive of poor neighbourhoods to Yoram Marciano
, he left the party and joined Kadima
. He lost his seat in the 2006 elections and today heads the Kadima
faction in the Histadrut
.
Ben-Menachem is married with three children, and lives in Tel Aviv
.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician who served as a member of the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
for the Alignment
Alignment (political party)
The Alignment was an alliance of the major left-wing parties in Israel between the 1960s and 1990s. It was established in 1965 as an alliance of Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda but was dissolved three years later when the two parties and Rafi formally merged into the Israeli Labor Party...
, the Labor Party and One Israel
One Israel
One Israel was an alliance of the Labor Party, Meimad and Gesher created to run for the 1999 Knesset elections.-Background:One Israel was formed by Labor leader Ehud Barak in the run-up to the 1999 elections with the aim of making Labor appear more centrist and to reduce its secularist and elitist...
between 1988 and 2006.
Biography
Born in BombayMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Union of India (today Mumbai), Ben-Menachem immigrated
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
to Israel in 1949. He studied at a military academy, and worked as an aircraft technician, eventually becoming chairman of the El Al
El Al
El Al Israel Airlines Ltd , trading as El Al , is the flag carrier of Israel. It operates scheduled domestic and international services and cargo flights to Europe, North America, Africa and the Far East from its main base in Ben Gurion International Airport...
workers' union.
In 1988 he was elected
Israeli legislative election, 1988
Elections for the twelfth Knesset were held in Israel on 1 November 1988. Voter turnout was 79.7%.-Results:1 Five members of the Likud left to form the Party for the Advancement of the Zionist Idea; after two returned, the party was renamed the New Liberal Party...
to the Knesset on the Alignment
Alignment (political party)
The Alignment was an alliance of the major left-wing parties in Israel between the 1960s and 1990s. It was established in 1965 as an alliance of Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda but was dissolved three years later when the two parties and Rafi formally merged into the Israeli Labor Party...
list. After being re-elected
Israeli legislative election, 1992
Elections for the thirteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 23 June 1992. The result was a victory for the left, led by Yitzhak Rabin's Labor Party, though their win was at least partially due to several small right-wing parties narrowly failing to cross the electoral threshold and thus effectively...
in 1992 (this time on the Labor Party list), he was appointed Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
A Minister in the Prime Minister's Office is a minister and member of the cabinet appointed by the Prime Minister of Israel for the purpose of being involved in various matters on behalf of the Prime Minister.-List of current and former ministrations:...
on 4 August 1992. On 8 April 1993 he became Deputy Minister of Housing and Construction
Housing and Construction Minister of Israel
The Ministry of Housing and Construction is a portfolio in the Israeli cabinet. The ministry was created in 1961, and until 1977 it was known as the Ministry of Housing. Construction was also previously part of the Labour and Construction ministry during the provisional government between 1948 and...
, a post he held until Binyamin Netanyahu formed a Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
-led government in 1996. Following the 1996 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1996
Elections for the fourteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 29 May 1996. Voter turnout was 79.3%.The 1996 elections included two new changes, both designed to increase the stability of the Knesset. First, the Prime Minister was to be elected on a separate ballot from the remaining members of the...
, Ben-Menachem became chairman of the committee on Drug Abuse.
He was placed 27th on the One Israel
One Israel
One Israel was an alliance of the Labor Party, Meimad and Gesher created to run for the 1999 Knesset elections.-Background:One Israel was formed by Labor leader Ehud Barak in the run-up to the 1999 elections with the aim of making Labor appear more centrist and to reduce its secularist and elitist...
list (an alliance of Labor, Gesher and Meimad
Meimad
Meimad is a left-wing religious Zionist political party in Israel. Founded in 1999, it is based on the ideology of the Meimad movement founded in 1988 by Rabbi Yehuda Amital. At the national level, it was in alliance with the Labour Party, and until the 2006 elections, received 10th spot on the...
) for the May 1999 elections, and lost his seat when the alliance won only 26 mandates. However, he re-entered the Knesset when Yossi Beilin
Yossi Beilin
Dr. Yosef "Yossi" Beilin is a left-wing Israeli politician and a former Knesset member, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister and Justice Minister, representing both the Labor Party and Meretz-Yachad, of which he served as chairman between 2003 and 2006. He is best known for his involvement with the...
resigned his seat in November that year. When Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
formed a government of national unity in March 2001, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade
Industry, Trade and Labour Minister of Israel
The Industry, Trade and Labour Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labour and a position in the Israeli cabinet....
, serving until Labor withdrew from the coalition in November 2002.
He retained his seat in the 2003 elections and became a Deputy Speaker of the Knesset. During Labor's stint in the Ariel Sharon government between January and November 2005, Ben-Menachem was re-appointed Deputy Minister of Housing and Construction.
After losing the slot on Labor's list reserved for the representaive of poor neighbourhoods to Yoram Marciano
Yoram Marciano
Yoram Marciano is an Israeli politician. He served as a member of the Knesset for the Labor Party between 2006 and 2009.-Biography:Born in Lod, Marciano was first elected to the Knesset in the 2006 elections and served as the Labor-Meimad Parliamentary Group Chairman...
, he left the party and joined Kadima
Kadima
Kadima is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians...
. He lost his seat in the 2006 elections and today heads the Kadima
Kadima
Kadima is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians...
faction in the Histadrut
Histadrut
HaHistadrut HaKlalit shel HaOvdim B'Eretz Yisrael , known as the Histadrut, is Israel's organization of trade unions. Established in December 1920 during the British Mandate for Palestine, it became one of the most powerful institutions of the State of Israel.-History:The Histadrut was founded in...
.
Ben-Menachem is married with three children, and lives in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
.