Michael Bar-Zohar
Encyclopedia
Dr Michael Bar-Zohar is an Israel
i historian
, novelist and politician. His World War II
-era nonfiction and fiction works have been published in English
, French
, Hebrew
, and other languages. He was also a member of the Knesset
on behalf of the Alignment
and Labor Party during the 1980s and early 1990s.
, Bar-Zohar immigrated to Israel in 1948. He attended High School Heh in Tel Aviv
and went on to study economics and international relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
. He also studied at the Institute of Political Science in the University of Paris
, where he earned a PhD.
He became science editor for Davar
, a weekly newspaper in 1958, but left the job the following year. Between 1960 and 1964 he wrote for LaMerhav
, an Israeli newspaper in Paris
. In 1967 he became a spokesman for the Israeli Ministry of Defense
, and later lectured at the University of Haifa
between 1970 and 1973.
He was first elected to the Knesset in the 1981 elections
on the Alignment's list and was a member of the Education and Culture Committee. Although he lost his seat in the 1984 election
, he regained it in the 1988 elections
, after which he was appointed chairman of the Education and Culture Committee. As a protege of Moshe Dayan
, Bar-Zohar was known as a hawk within the Labor Party. He lost his seat in the 1992 election
and did not return to the Knesset, despite running in Labor Party primaries in the 1990s. In 2008 he joined the new Yisrael Hazaka
party formed by Ephraim Sneh, which failed to win a seat in the 2009 election
.
for his achievements as a journalist. He published several books, including biographies of David Ben-Gurion
and Shimon Peres
, several books about the Israeli security organizations, and an account of the rescue of Bulgarian Jews
from the Nazis in World War II
.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, novelist and politician. His 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...
-era nonfiction and fiction works have been published in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, and other languages. He was also 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...
on behalf of 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...
and Labor Party during the 1980s and early 1990s.
Biography
Born in BulgariaBulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Bar-Zohar immigrated to Israel in 1948. He attended High School Heh 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...
and went on to study economics and international relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
. He also studied at the Institute of Political Science in the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, where he earned a PhD.
He became science editor for Davar
Davar
Davar was a Hebrew-language daily newspaper published in the Mandate Palestine and Israel between 1925 and May 1996.-History:Davar was established by Moshe Beilinson and Berl Katznelson, with Katznelson as its first editor. The first edition was published on 1 June 1925 under the name Davar - Iton...
, a weekly newspaper in 1958, but left the job the following year. Between 1960 and 1964 he wrote for LaMerhav
LaMerhav
LaMerhav was a Hebrew language newspaper published in Israel between 1954 and 1971. It was owned by the Ahdut HaAvoda party and later HaKibbutz HaMeuhad, and was edited by Yisrael Even-Nur, Moshe Carmel and David Padhatzor, though most of its articles were written by Yisrael Galili.The paper's...
, an Israeli newspaper in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In 1967 he became a spokesman for the Israeli Ministry of Defense
Ministry of Defense (Israel)
The Ministry of Defence of the government of Israel, is the governmental department responsible for defending the State of Israel from internal and external military threats...
, and later lectured at the University of Haifa
University of Haifa
The University of Haifa is a university in Haifa, Israel.The University of Haifa was founded in 1963 by Haifa mayor Abba Hushi, to operate under the academic auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem....
between 1970 and 1973.
Political career
Bar-Zohar became involved in politics in the 1960s, and joined Rafi upon its foundation in 1965. Rafi merged into the Alignment in 1968, forming formed the Labor Party faction, with Bar-Zohar becoming a Labor Party member, eventually joining its central committee.He was first elected to the Knesset in the 1981 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1981
Elections for the tenth Knesset were held in Israel on 30 June 1981. Despite last minute polls suggesting a victory for Shimon Peres's Alignment, Menachem Begin's Likud won by just one seat...
on the Alignment's list and was a member of the Education and Culture Committee. Although he lost his seat in the 1984 election
Israeli legislative election, 1984
Elections for the eleventh Knesset were held in Israel on 23 July 1984. Voter turnout was 78.8%. The results saw the Alignment return to being the largest party in the Knesset, a status it had lost in 1977...
, he regained it in the 1988 elections
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...
, after which he was appointed chairman of the Education and Culture Committee. As a protege of Moshe Dayan
Moshe Dayan
Moshe Dayan was an Israeli military leader and politician. The fourth Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces , he became a fighting symbol to the world of the new State of Israel...
, Bar-Zohar was known as a hawk within the Labor Party. He lost his seat in the 1992 election
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...
and did not return to the Knesset, despite running in Labor Party primaries in the 1990s. In 2008 he joined the new Yisrael Hazaka
Yisrael Hazaka
Yisrael Hazaka is a new political party in Israel. It was established by former Labor Party MK Efraim Sneh on 25 May 2008. It participated in the 2009 Knesset elections but failed to pass the electoral threshold, not receiving any seats.-Background:...
party formed by Ephraim Sneh, which failed to win a seat in the 2009 election
Israeli legislative election, 2009
Elections for the 18th Knesset were held in Israel on 10 February 2009. These elections became necessary due to the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as leader of the Kadima party, and the failure of his successor, Tzipi Livni, to form a coalition government...
.
Writings
In 1965 Bar-Zohar won the Sokolov AwardSokolov Award
The Sokolov Prize is an Israeli journalism award, awarded by the Tel Aviv municipality, in memory of Nahum Sokolow.The award has been granted since 1956, initially to outstanding print journalists and since 1981 to journalists from the electronic media...
for his achievements as a journalist. He published several books, including biographies of David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion
' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
and Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
, several books about the Israeli security organizations, and an account of the rescue of Bulgarian Jews
History of the Jews in Bulgaria
The history of the Jews in Bulgaria dates to at least as early as the 2nd century CE. Since then, the Jews have had a continuous presence in the Bulgarian lands and have played an often considerable part in the history of Bulgaria from ancient times through the Middle Ages until...
from the Nazis in 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...
.