Shalom Cohen (politician)
Encyclopedia
Shalom Cohen was an Israel
i politician who served as a member of the Knesset
between 1969 and 1974.
in Iraq
, Cohen's family moved to Egypt
when he was six years old. He attended an English college in Alexandria
, where he was one of the founders of the local Hashomer Hatzair
branch. He made aliyah
to Mandate Palestine in 1946, and joined kibbutz Nahshonim
. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
he was part of the Samson's Foxes
commando unit in the Givati Brigade
. It was there that he met Uri Avnery
.
In 1950, Cohen and Avnery bought the HaOlam HaZeh
weekly magazine, which he remained an editor of until 1971. He was amongst the founders of the HaOlam HaZeh – Koah Hadash
political movement, and became its secertary general in 1966. In 1969
he was elected to the Knesset on the party's list. However, he left the movement in 1971, and from 4 January 1972, sat as an independent for the remainder of the Knesset term.
He joined the Black Panthers in 1971 and served as their secretary general until 1977. Between 1971 and 1977 he was also a member of the Histadrut
's executive committee. In the 1977 elections
he ran as part of the Hofesh party together with Yehoshua Peretz. However, it failed to cross the electoral threshold. He later worked as a journalist for the French language paper Le Matin
. He died in 1993.
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...
between 1969 and 1974.
Biography
Born in BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Cohen's family moved to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
when he was six years old. He attended an English college in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, where he was one of the founders of the local Hashomer Hatzair
Hashomer Hatzair
Hashomer Hatzair is a Socialist–Zionist youth movement founded in 1913 in Galicia, Austria-Hungary, and was also the name of the group's political party in the Yishuv in the pre-1948 British Mandate of Palestine...
branch. He made 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 Mandate Palestine in 1946, and joined kibbutz Nahshonim
Nahshonim
Nahshonim is a kibbutz in central Israel. Located in the south of the Sharon plain near Rosh HaAyin, it falls under the jurisdiction of Drom HaSharon Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 310....
. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
he was part of the Samson's Foxes
Samson's Foxes
Samson's Foxes was an Israeli commando unit of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. It was part of the 54th Battalion of the Givati Brigade...
commando unit in the Givati Brigade
Givati Brigade
The Givati Brigade is an infantry brigade of the Israel Defense Forces, and serves as its amphibious force. Givati soldiers are designated by purple berets...
. It was there that he met Uri Avnery
Uri Avnery
Uri Avnery is an Israeli writer and founder of the Gush Shalom peace movement.A member of the Irgun as a teenager, Avnery sat in the Knesset from 1965–74 and 1979–81...
.
In 1950, Cohen and Avnery bought the HaOlam HaZeh
Haolam Hazeh
HaOlam HaZeh was a weekly news magazine published in Israel until 1993.The magazine was founded in 1937 under the name Tesha BaErev but was renamed HaOlam HaZeh in 1946...
weekly magazine, which he remained an editor of until 1971. He was amongst the founders of the HaOlam HaZeh – Koah Hadash
Meri (political party)
Meri , lit. Israeli Radical Camp) was a small radical left-wing political party in Israel. It was founded in the 1960s as HaOlam HaZeh – Koah Hadash by Uri Avnery, editor of HaOlam HaZeh.-History:...
political movement, and became its secertary general in 1966. In 1969
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...
he was elected to the Knesset on the party's list. However, he left the movement in 1971, and from 4 January 1972, sat as an independent for the remainder of the Knesset term.
He joined the Black Panthers in 1971 and served as their secretary general until 1977. Between 1971 and 1977 he was also a member of 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...
's executive committee. 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...
he ran as part of the Hofesh party together with Yehoshua Peretz. However, it failed to cross the electoral threshold. He later worked as a journalist for the French language paper Le Matin
Le Matin
Le Matin is a daily newspaper published by Edipresse in Lausanne, Switzerland. The French language tabloid has a circulation of 69,350 and a readership of 331,000.The Sunday edition Le Matin dimanche has a circulation of 207,945....
. He died in 1993.