Shimon Sheves
Encyclopedia
Shimon Sheves was the General Director
of the Israeli Prime Minister's office under the late Yizhak Rabin, between 1992 and 1995. Sheves now serves as a political advisor to government
s and to political leaders around the world. He also serves as Chairman of RSLB, a company owned jointly by Sheves, former Israel Defense Forces
(IDF) Chief of Staff
Amnon Lipkin Shahak, Rabin's son Yuval Rabin and Israeli businessman Gil Berger.
on the Golan Heights, Chairman of the Golan Heights Economic Development Company, Chairman of the Golan Heights Settlements Committee and the Deputy to the Head of the Golan Regional Council
.
In 1984, Sheves began his long relationship with Rabin when the latter, then the Minister of Defense of Israel, appointed him as his personal and political assistant. Sheves filled that role for six years, and during that time he was in charge of the Jewish settlements on the West Bank
and of developing national infrastructure
.
In the second half of the 1980s, Sheves was asked to sit on the board of several governmental companies and national bodies, including Israel Land Administration
, Israel Aerospace Industries and Israeli Military Industries. He also chaired the committee to advance and integrate the Arab
, Bedouin
and Druze
minorities in the Israeli society.
Leading up to the 1992 elections, Sheves was appointed to manage the campaign for the Labor Party, headed by Rabin. Labor won the most seats in the Knesset
in these elections, and Rabin was appointed to form the Israeli government. Once Prime Minister he made Sheves Director General of the Prime Minister
's Office.
On November 4, 1995, Prime Minister Rabin was assassinated at the end of a rally in support of the Oslo Accords
, dubbed "Yes to Peace, No to Violence". The assassin was Yigal amir, a radical Jew who opposed the peace process.
Rabin's funeral was held on November 6, 1995. In attendance were representatives from 78 countries, including 23 kings and presidents and 22 prime ministers. Shimon Sheves was one of the eulogizers. Others were the then-United States President Bill Clinton
, the then-Israeli President Ezer Weizman
, the then-acting Prime Minister Shimon Peres
, King Hussein of Jordan
and others. After Rabin's murder Sheves decided to quit Israeli politics.
RSLB assists and advises Israeli businesspeople and business owners who are interested in getting into the American market, and works in cooperation with international and transnational bodies, such as The World Bank
, EXIM
and IADB
.
Sheves is also active in private international businesses in Europe
and the United States
. Since 2002, Sheves has been serving as a political and economic advisor to governments as well as to leaders in Romania
, Bulgaria
, Hungary
, Austria
, Serbia
and the United States. He also advises on economic issues to large multinational corporations.
and the social protests in Israel, when addressing Israeli students and Jewish communities in Europe.
His public activity also includes helping Israeli voluntary associations involved in promoting democratic debate in Israel and helping the less fortunate.
General Director
In CIS corporate governance, the general director is the highest executive position in a company, analogous to a US CEO or a UK managing director...
of the Israeli Prime Minister's office under the late Yizhak Rabin, between 1992 and 1995. Sheves now serves as a political advisor to government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
s and to political leaders around the world. He also serves as Chairman of RSLB, a company owned jointly by Sheves, former Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
(IDF) Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
Amnon Lipkin Shahak, Rabin's son Yuval Rabin and Israeli businessman Gil Berger.
Politics
Sheves began his political career in local politics on the Golan Heights. He was the Secretary and Farm Director of a kibbutzKibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
on the Golan Heights, Chairman of the Golan Heights Economic Development Company, Chairman of the Golan Heights Settlements Committee and the Deputy to the Head of the Golan Regional Council
Golan Regional Council
The Golan Regional Council is the regional council consolidating almost all Israeli settlements located on the Golan Heights. It is made up of 19 moshavim and 10 kibbutzim, and other villages...
.
In 1984, Sheves began his long relationship with Rabin when the latter, then the Minister of Defense of Israel, appointed him as his personal and political assistant. Sheves filled that role for six years, and during that time he was in charge of the Jewish settlements on the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
and of developing national infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
.
In the second half of the 1980s, Sheves was asked to sit on the board of several governmental companies and national bodies, including Israel Land Administration
Israel Land Administration
The Israel Land Administration is part of the government of Israel and is responsible for managing the 93% of the land in Israel which is in the public domain. These lands are either property of the state, belong to the Jewish National Fund which controls 13% of the land, or belong to the Israel...
, Israel Aerospace Industries and Israeli Military Industries. He also chaired the committee to advance and integrate the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
, Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
and Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
minorities in the Israeli society.
Leading up to the 1992 elections, Sheves was appointed to manage the campaign for the Labor Party, headed by Rabin. Labor won the most seats in 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...
in these elections, and Rabin was appointed to form the Israeli government. Once Prime Minister he made Sheves Director General of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
's Office.
On November 4, 1995, Prime Minister Rabin was assassinated at the end of a rally in support of the Oslo Accords
Oslo Accords
The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles , was an attempt to resolve the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict...
, dubbed "Yes to Peace, No to Violence". The assassin was Yigal amir, a radical Jew who opposed the peace process.
Rabin's funeral was held on November 6, 1995. In attendance were representatives from 78 countries, including 23 kings and presidents and 22 prime ministers. Shimon Sheves was one of the eulogizers. Others were the then-United States President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, the then-Israeli President Ezer Weizman
Ezer Weizman
' was the seventh President of Israel, first elected in 1993 and re-elected in 1998. Before the presidency, Weizman was commander of the Israeli Air Force and Minister of Defense.-Biography:...
, the then-acting Prime Minister 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...
, King Hussein of Jordan
Hussein of Jordan
Hussein bin Talal was the third King of Jordan from the abdication of his father, King Talal, in 1952, until his death. Hussein's rule extended through the Cold War and four decades of Arab-Israeli conflict...
and others. After Rabin's murder Sheves decided to quit Israeli politics.
Business career
Shimon Sheves is the Chairman of RSLB, an American company whose offices are located in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
RSLB assists and advises Israeli businesspeople and business owners who are interested in getting into the American market, and works in cooperation with international and transnational bodies, such as The World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, EXIM
Exim
Exim is a mail transfer agent used on Unix-like operating systems. Exim is free software distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License, and it aims to be a general and flexible mailer with extensive facilities for checking incoming e-mail....
and IADB
IADB
IADB may refer to:* Inter-American Development Bank, an international organization to support Latin American and Caribbean economic and social development and regional integration...
.
Sheves is also active in private international businesses in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Since 2002, Sheves has been serving as a political and economic advisor to governments as well as to leaders in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
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...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
and the United States. He also advises on economic issues to large multinational corporations.
Public activity
Shimon Sheves has spoken several times about the Israeli-Palestinian conflictIsraeli-Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
and the social protests in Israel, when addressing Israeli students and Jewish communities in Europe.
His public activity also includes helping Israeli voluntary associations involved in promoting democratic debate in Israel and helping the less fortunate.