Matityahu Drobles
Encyclopedia
Matityahu "Matis" Drobles is a former Israel
i politician who served as a member of the Knesset
for Gahal
and Likud
between 1972 and 1977.
in Poland
in 1931, Drobles was interned in the Warsaw Ghetto
and later lived in the woods during World War II
. In 1946 he moved to Buenos Aires
in Argentina
, where he attended high school. In Argentina he joined the Betar
youth movement, becoming a member of its national leadership, and director of training. He was also a member of the Council for Zionist Youth Movements in Argentina, before making aliyah
to Israel in 1950.
He was amongst the founders of moshav Mevo Beitar
, and was a member of the Mishkei Herut Beitar settlement movement, serving as its representative to immigrant settlements around Jerusalem and the Galilee. Between 1962 and 1973 he was deputy chairman of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council
. In 1967 he became chairman of Mishkei Herut Beitar's settlement department, and was responsible for establishing Israeli settlements around Rafah
and the Jordan Valley
between 1974 and 1977.
Drobles was on the Gahal
list for the 1969 Knesset elections
. Although he failed to win a seat, he entered the Knesset on 26 February 1972 as a replacement for the deceased Yosef Sapir
. He was re-elected in 1973
, but lost his seat in the 1977 elections
.
In 1978 he became a member of the board of the Jewish Agency
and World Zionist Organization
, serving as chairman of the WZO's settlement department from 1978 until 1992. In 1992 he became head of the Zionist Archives.
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 Gahal
Gahal
Gahal , lit. Herut-Liberals Bloc) was the major right-wing political faction in Israel led by Menachem Begin from its founding in 1965 until it merged into Likud in 1973.-Background:...
and 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...
between 1972 and 1977.
Biography
Born in WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in 1931, Drobles was interned in the Warsaw Ghetto
Warsaw Ghetto
The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest of all Jewish Ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. It was established in the Polish capital between October and November 15, 1940, in the territory of General Government of the German-occupied Poland, with over 400,000 Jews from the vicinity...
and later lived in the woods during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1946 he moved to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, where he attended high school. In Argentina he joined the Betar
Betar
The Betar Movement is a Revisionist Zionist youth movement founded in 1923 in Riga, Latvia, by Vladimir Jabotinsky. It has been traditionally linked to the original Herut and then Likud political parties of Israel, and was closely affiliated with the pre-Israel Revisionist Zionist splinter group...
youth movement, becoming a member of its national leadership, and director of training. He was also a member of the Council for Zionist Youth Movements in Argentina, before making aliyah
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 1950.
He was amongst the founders of moshav Mevo Beitar
Mevo Beitar
Mevo Beitar is a moshav shitufi in central Israel. Located ten kilometres south-west of Jerusalem, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council...
, and was a member of the Mishkei Herut Beitar settlement movement, serving as its representative to immigrant settlements around Jerusalem and the Galilee. Between 1962 and 1973 he was deputy chairman of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council
Mateh Yehuda Regional Council
Mateh Yehuda Regional Council is a regional council in the Jerusalem District of Israel. In 2008 it was home to 36,200 people.The name of the regional council stems from the fact that its territory was part of the land allotted to the Tribe of Judah, according to the Bible.-Places and...
. In 1967 he became chairman of Mishkei Herut Beitar's settlement department, and was responsible for establishing Israeli settlements around Rafah
Rafah
Rafah , also known as Rafiah, is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. Located south of Gaza, Rafah's population of 71,003 is overwhelmingly made up of Palestinian refugees. Rafah camp and Tall as-Sultan form separate localities. Rafah is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate...
and the Jordan Valley
Jordan Valley (Middle East)
The Jordan Valley forms part of the larger Jordan Rift Valley. It is 120 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide, where it runs from Lake Tiberias in the north to northern Dead Sea in the south. It runs for an additional 155 kilometer south of the Dead Sea to Aqaba, an area also known as Wadi...
between 1974 and 1977.
Drobles was on the Gahal
Gahal
Gahal , lit. Herut-Liberals Bloc) was the major right-wing political faction in Israel led by Menachem Begin from its founding in 1965 until it merged into Likud in 1973.-Background:...
list for the 1969 Knesset elections
Israeli legislative election, 1969
Elections for the seventh Knesset were held in Israel on 28 October 1969. Voter turnout was 81.7%.-Results:¹ Meir Avizohar defected from the National List to the Alignment² Avner Shaki left the National Religious Party and remained a single MK...
. Although he failed to win a seat, he entered the Knesset on 26 February 1972 as a replacement for the deceased Yosef Sapir
Yosef Sapir
Yosef Sapir was an Israeli politician and Knesset member of the 1st to 7th Knessets. He served as head of the General Zionists and was a founding member of the Gahal party....
. He was re-elected in 1973
Israeli legislative election, 1973
The Elections for the eighth Knesset were held on 31 December 1973. Voter turnout was 78.6%.-Results:1 Aryeh Eliav left the Alignment and merged with Ratz to form Ya'ad - Civil Rights Movement...
, but lost his seat in the 1977 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1977
The Elections for the ninth Knesset were held on 17 May 1977. For the first time in Israeli political history, the right-wing, led by Likud, won the election, ending almost 30 years of rule by the left-wing Alignment and its predecessor, Mapai...
.
In 1978 he became a member of the board of the Jewish Agency
Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel , also known as the Sochnut or JAFI, served as the organization in charge of immigration and absorption of Jews from the Diaspora into the state of Israel.-History:...
and World Zionist Organization
World Zionist Organization
The World Zionist Organization , or WZO, was founded as the Zionist Organization , or ZO, in 1897 at the First Zionist Congress, held from August 29 to August 31 in Basel, Switzerland...
, serving as chairman of the WZO's settlement department from 1978 until 1992. In 1992 he became head of the Zionist Archives.