Yaakov Neeman
Encyclopedia
Ya'akov Ne'eman is an Israel
i lawyer and the current Minister of Justice
.
during the Mandate era. He studied law at Hebrew University of Jerusalem
, earning a LL.B
in 1964. In 1965, he earned a LL.M
from New York University
, and in 1968, a LL.D.
After returning to Israel, he has gone on to chair or be a member of numerous national and international committees, including the Executive Committee of Bar-Ilan University
, the public committee appointed by the Speaker of the Knesset to determine salaries and other payments to government officials, the public committee appointed by the cabinet
for the Drafting of the Constitution, the Public Committee on Educational Centers, the Public Committee on Privatisation Issues of El Al
, the board of governors of Bank of Israel
, the Committee for the Conversion Law, the National Committee for the Identification of Fallen Soldiers in Times of Emergency, Israel Atomic Energy Committee and the Central Committee of the World Bank
.
Ne'eman was appointed Director General of the Finance Ministry in 1979, serving until 1981. In 1996 he was appointed to the Israeli cabinet by then-Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, despite not being a member of the Knesset
. He was initially appointed Minister of Justice
, before replacing Netanyahu as Minister of Finance in July 1997 (Netanyahu had temporarily replaced Dan Meridor
who had left Likud
to found Israel in the Centre
). He served in the government until Netanyahu lost the 1999 elections
.
On 31 March 2009, Ne'eman was appointed Justice Minister in the newly formed Netanyahu government.
Ne'eman currently resides in Jerusalem in the Talbiya
section.
should gradually be made binding law in Israel, with the ultimate goal of making Israel a Halakhic state. But he later denied this, emphasizing that "the Knesset is the legislator in Israel, and the interpretation of its laws is determined by the [civil] courts." He said that he advocated the use of religious courts only in an auxiliary role, to "resolve financial disputes in accordance with the principles of Jewish law. The court system in Israel is backed up, and therefore, cases should be transferred to an alternative system."
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i lawyer and the current Minister of Justice
Justice Minister of Israel
The Justice Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Justice and a position in the Israeli cabinet. The current minister is Ya'akov Ne'eman, an independent who is not a member of the Knesset....
.
Biography
Ne'eman was 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. He studied law at 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...
, earning a LL.B
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in 1964. In 1965, he earned a LL.M
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, and in 1968, a LL.D.
After returning to Israel, he has gone on to chair or be a member of numerous national and international committees, including the Executive Committee of Bar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University is a university in Ramat Gan of the Tel Aviv District, Israel.Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is now Israel's second-largest academic institution. It has nearly 26,800 students and 1,350 faculty members...
, the public committee appointed by the Speaker of the Knesset to determine salaries and other payments to government officials, the public committee appointed by 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...
for the Drafting of the Constitution, the Public Committee on Educational Centers, the Public Committee on Privatisation Issues of El Al
El Al
El Al Israel Airlines Ltd , trading as El Al , is the flag carrier of Israel. It operates scheduled domestic and international services and cargo flights to Europe, North America, Africa and the Far East from its main base in Ben Gurion International Airport...
, the board of governors of Bank of Israel
Bank of Israel
The Bank of Israel is the central bank of Israel. It is located in Kiryat HaMemshala in Israel's capital city of Jerusalem, with a branch office in Tel Aviv. The current governor is Stanley Fischer.-History:...
, the Committee for the Conversion Law, the National Committee for the Identification of Fallen Soldiers in Times of Emergency, Israel Atomic Energy Committee and the Central Committee of 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...
.
Ne'eman was appointed Director General of the Finance Ministry in 1979, serving until 1981. In 1996 he was appointed to the Israeli cabinet by then-Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, despite not being 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...
. He was initially appointed Minister of Justice
Justice Minister of Israel
The Justice Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Justice and a position in the Israeli cabinet. The current minister is Ya'akov Ne'eman, an independent who is not a member of the Knesset....
, before replacing Netanyahu as Minister of Finance in July 1997 (Netanyahu had temporarily replaced Dan Meridor
Dan Meridor
Dan Meridor is an Israeli politician and minister. A longtime member of the Likud party, in the late 1990s he became one of the founders of the Centre Party. He rejoined Likud in the early 2000s, and returned to the Knesset following the 2009 elections...
who had left 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...
to found Israel in the Centre
Centre Party (Israel)
The Centre Party , originally known as Israel in the Centre, was a short-lived political party in Israel. Formed in 1999 by former Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai, the aim was to create a group of moderates to challenge both Binyamin Netanyahu on the right and opposition leader Ehud Barak's...
). He served in the government until Netanyahu lost the 1999 elections
Israeli prime ministerial election, 1999
The second Prime Ministerial election in Israel was held on 17 May 1999 alongside elections for the 15th Knesset. Voter turnout was 69.0%.-Context:...
.
On 31 March 2009, Ne'eman was appointed Justice Minister in the newly formed Netanyahu government.
Ne'eman currently resides in Jerusalem in the Talbiya
Talbiya
Talbiya or Talbiyeh , officially Komemiyut, is an upscale neighborhood in Jerusalem, Israel, located between Rehavia and Katamon. It was built in the 1920s and 1930s on land purchased from the Greek Patriarchate...
section.
Political views
On 8 December 2009, while serving as the Minister of Justice, Ne'eman was reported as saying that he believed that HalakhaHalakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
should gradually be made binding law in Israel, with the ultimate goal of making Israel a Halakhic state. But he later denied this, emphasizing that "the Knesset is the legislator in Israel, and the interpretation of its laws is determined by the [civil] courts." He said that he advocated the use of religious courts only in an auxiliary role, to "resolve financial disputes in accordance with the principles of Jewish law. The court system in Israel is backed up, and therefore, cases should be transferred to an alternative system."