Moshe Sneh
Encyclopedia
Moshe Sneh was an Israel
i politician and military figure. One of the founders of Mapam
, he later joined the Israeli Communist Party (Maki)
, and was one of the leaders of a more pro-Israeli split in 1965.
before studying natural sciences, mathematics and medicine at the University of Warsaw
, gaining an MD in 1935. Whilst a student, he was a member of the Yardinia Zionist student organisation, becoming its chairman in 1926, and was also chairman of the Medical Jewish Students Union.
He became the editor of the Nowe Słowo newspaper in 1931, and the political editor of HaYanet in 1933. In 1932 he had been elected to the central committee of the Zionist Federation of Poland, and was a leader of the radical Zionists. In 1935 he also became a member of the Zionist Executive Committee.
He worked as a doctor until 1939, including in the Polish Army following the outbreak of World War II
, and immigrated
to Mandate Palestine in 1940.
Upon arriving in Israel, he joined the Hagana, and was head of its national staff between 1941 and 1946. In 1944 he joined the Jewish National Council, and was also a member of the Assembly of Representatives. Between 1945 and 1947 he sat on the board of the Jewish Agency
, heading its illegal immigration department. In 1946 he became head of the Agency's political department for Europe. Sneh's name was on the British Police's list of people to arrest in Operation Agatha
, but he avoided arrest by fleeing to Paris
.
In 1948, Sneh joined Mapam
and was appointed deputy editor of the party's newspaper, Al HaMishmar, a position he held until 1953. In 1949 he was elected to the first Knesset
. Re-elected in 1951, he was part of the group that split from the party in 1953, initially forming the Left Faction
, before joining Maki in 1954. He was returned to the Knesset on Maki's list in the 1955 elections
, but narrowly missed out on retaining his seat in 1959. However, he entered the Knesset only six weeks after the election as a replacement for Meir Vilner
. Re-elected in 1961, Sneh remained in Maki when two of the party's MKs broke away to form Rakah in 1965. He lost his seat in the 1965 elections
when Maki was reduced to one seat (most of its vote having gone to Rakah), but returned to the Knesset again in 1969, remaining an MK until his death in March 1972.
His son, Efraim Sneh
, served as both Health and Transportation Minister for the Labour Party before leaving the Knesset in 2008 to form his own party, Yisrael Hazaka
.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician and military figure. One of the founders of Mapam
Mapam
Mapam was a political party in Israel and is one of the ancestors of the modern-day Meretz party.-History:Mapam was formed by a January 1948 merger of the Hashomer Hatzair Workers Party and Ahdut HaAvoda Poale Zion Movement. The party was originally Marxist-Zionist in its outlook and represented...
, he later joined the Israeli Communist Party (Maki)
Maki (historical political party)
Maki was a communist political party in Israel. It is not the same party as the modern day Maki, which split from it during the 1960s and later assumed its name.-History:...
, and was one of the leaders of a more pro-Israeli split in 1965.
Biography
Sneh attended high school in PolandPoland
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...
before studying natural sciences, mathematics and medicine at the University of Warsaw
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw is the largest university in Poland and one of the most prestigious, ranked as best Polish university in 2010 and 2011...
, gaining an MD in 1935. Whilst a student, he was a member of the Yardinia Zionist student organisation, becoming its chairman in 1926, and was also chairman of the Medical Jewish Students Union.
He became the editor of the Nowe Słowo newspaper in 1931, and the political editor of HaYanet in 1933. In 1932 he had been elected to the central committee of the Zionist Federation of Poland, and was a leader of the radical Zionists. In 1935 he also became a member of the Zionist Executive Committee.
He worked as a doctor until 1939, including in the Polish Army following the outbreak of 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...
, and 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 Mandate Palestine in 1940.
Upon arriving in Israel, he joined the Hagana, and was head of its national staff between 1941 and 1946. In 1944 he joined the Jewish National Council, and was also a member of the Assembly of Representatives. Between 1945 and 1947 he sat on 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:...
, heading its illegal immigration department. In 1946 he became head of the Agency's political department for Europe. Sneh's name was on the British Police's list of people to arrest in Operation Agatha
Operation Agatha
Operation Agatha sometimes called Black Shabbat or Black Saturday because it began on the Jewish sabbath, was a police and military operation conducted by the British authorities in the British Mandate of Palestine...
, but he avoided arrest by fleeing to 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 1948, Sneh joined Mapam
Mapam
Mapam was a political party in Israel and is one of the ancestors of the modern-day Meretz party.-History:Mapam was formed by a January 1948 merger of the Hashomer Hatzair Workers Party and Ahdut HaAvoda Poale Zion Movement. The party was originally Marxist-Zionist in its outlook and represented...
and was appointed deputy editor of the party's newspaper, Al HaMishmar, a position he held until 1953. In 1949 he was elected to the first Knesset
Israeli legislative election, 1949
Elections for the Constituent Assembly were held in newly independent Israel on 25 January 1949. Voter turnout was 86.9%. Two days after its first meeting on 14 February 1949, legislators voted to change the name of the body to the Knesset...
. Re-elected in 1951, he was part of the group that split from the party in 1953, initially forming the Left Faction
Left Faction
The Left Faction was a short-lived political party in Israel.-History:The Left Faction was formed on 20 February 1952 as a breakaway from Mapam in the aftermath of the Prague Trials...
, before joining Maki in 1954. He was returned to the Knesset on Maki's list in the 1955 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1955
Elections for the third Knesset were held in Israel on 26 July 1955. Voter turnout was 82.8%.-Results:Mapai retained its plurality in the Knesset, although its share of the vote dropped by 5.1 and its share of seats dropped from 47 to 40...
, but narrowly missed out on retaining his seat in 1959. However, he entered the Knesset only six weeks after the election as a replacement for Meir Vilner
Meir Vilner
Meir Vilner was an Israeli communist politician and Jewish leader of the Communist Party of Israel , which consisted primarily of Israeli Arabs...
. Re-elected in 1961, Sneh remained in Maki when two of the party's MKs broke away to form Rakah in 1965. He lost his seat in the 1965 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1965
Elections for the sixth Knesset were held in Israel on 1 November 1965. Voter turnout was 85.9%.-Background:Prior to the elections, two major alliances were formed; Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda united to form the Alignment, whilst Herut and the Liberal Party had formed the Gahal alliance towards the end...
when Maki was reduced to one seat (most of its vote having gone to Rakah), but returned to the Knesset again in 1969, remaining an MK until his death in March 1972.
His son, Efraim Sneh
Efraim Sneh
Efraim Sneh is an Israeli politician, physician, and a retired Brigadier General in the Israel Defense Forces. He was a member of the Knesset for the Labor Party between 1992 and 2008 and served in several ministerial posts...
, served as both Health and Transportation Minister for the Labour Party before leaving the Knesset in 2008 to form his own party, 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:...
.
External links
- Moshe Sneh's biography Knesset website