Michael Eitan
Encyclopedia
Michael Eitan is an Israel
i politician, Minister of Improvement of Government Services and member of the Knesset
for Likud
. He served as Minister of Science & Technology
between July 1997 and July 1998. Alongside Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
, Eitan is the joint longest-serving MK, and as such was appointed temporary Knesset speaker following the Israeli legislative election, 2009
. He was succeeded as Knesset Speaker by fellow Likud MK Reuven Rivlin
on 30 March 2009. On 1 April 2009 he assumed office as Minister of Improvement of Government Services in the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
.
during the Mandate era, Eitan took legal studies at Tel Aviv University
. He joined the Herut
party, and was a chairman of its youth guard, before becoming a member of the party's central committee and chairman of its Ramat Gan branch.
He was elected to the Knesset
on the Likud
list (within which Herut was a faction until 1988) in 1984
, and was re-elected in 1988
, 1992
and 1996
, becoming coalition chairman after the latter election, having been co-ordinator of the opposition between 1992 and 1996. In July 1997 he was appointed Minister of Science & Technology, but was replaced by Silvan Shalom
in July the following year. He then served as a Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
until the 1999 elections. During the Knesset term he chaired its sub-committee on communication and information and helped establish the Knesset's website.
Although he retained his seat in the 1999 elections, they were won by the Labor Party-led One Israel
alliance and Eitan lost his place in the cabinet
. He was re-elected in 2003, 2006 and 2009
, after which he was appointed Minister of Improvement of Government Services.
Eitan is a resident of the town of Kokhav Ya'ir
, and was a founder and director of the settlement project.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician, Minister of Improvement of Government Services and 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 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...
. He served as Minister of Science & Technology
Science, Culture and Sport Minister of Israel
The Science and Technology Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology and a relatively minor position in the Israeli cabinet. The current minister is Daniel Hershkowitz of The Jewish Home party...
between July 1997 and July 1998. Alongside Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
Binyamin Fuad Ben-Eliezer , , born 12 February 1936) is an Israeli politician and former military officer of Iraqi origin. He currently serves as a member of the Knesset for the Labor Party, and has held several ministerial posts, including Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour, Minister of...
, Eitan is the joint longest-serving MK, and as such was appointed temporary Knesset speaker following the Israeli legislative election, 2009
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...
. He was succeeded as Knesset Speaker by fellow Likud MK Reuven Rivlin
Reuven Rivlin
Reuven "Rubi" Rivlin is an Israeli lawyer, politician, currently serving as a speaker of the Knesset. He belongs to conservative Likud. A former Speaker of the Knesset, in 2007 he ran in the election for President as the Likud candidate...
on 30 March 2009. On 1 April 2009 he assumed office as Minister of Improvement of Government Services in the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
.
Biography
Born in Tel AvivTel 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...
during the Mandate era, Eitan took legal studies at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
. He joined the Herut
Herut
Herut was the major right-wing political party in Israel from the 1940s until its formal merger into Likud in 1988, and an adherent of Revisionist Zionism.-History:...
party, and was a chairman of its youth guard, before becoming a member of the party's central committee and chairman of its Ramat Gan branch.
He was elected to 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 the 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...
list (within which Herut was a faction until 1988) in 1984
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...
, and was re-elected in 1988
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...
, 1992
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 1996
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...
, becoming coalition chairman after the latter election, having been co-ordinator of the opposition between 1992 and 1996. In July 1997 he was appointed Minister of Science & Technology, but was replaced by Silvan Shalom
Silvan Shalom
' , born 4 October 1958) is an Israeli politician, member of the Knesset for Likud and the country's Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development. He previously served as the country's Foreign Minister and Finance Minister.-Biography:...
in July the following year. He then served as a 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:...
until the 1999 elections. During the Knesset term he chaired its sub-committee on communication and information and helped establish the Knesset's website.
Although he retained his seat in the 1999 elections, they were won by the Labor Party-led 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...
alliance and Eitan lost his place in the cabinet
Cabinet of Israel
The Cabinet of Israel is a formal body composed of government officials called ministers, chosen and led by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister must appoint members based on the distribution of votes to political parties during legislative elections, and its composition must be approved by a...
. He was re-elected in 2003, 2006 and 2009
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...
, after which he was appointed Minister of Improvement of Government Services.
Eitan is a resident of the town of Kokhav Ya'ir
Kokhav Ya'ir
Kokhav Ya'ir-Tzur Yigal is a town in the Center District of Israel. Kokhav Ya'ir and the neighboring town of Tzur Yigal merged in November 2003. Together, the population in 2008 was 11,050.-History:...
, and was a founder and director of the settlement project.