Yehuda Weinstein
Encyclopedia
Yehuda Weinstein is an Israeli lawyer and the Attorney General of Israel
, having replaced the previous attorney general, Menachem Mazuz
, on 1 February 2010.
, Mandate Palestine
to Jewish Parents who made Aliyah
from Poland
during the 1930s. He grew up in Florentin, Tel Aviv, and during his adolescence he was involved in sports and won the Israeli youth Boxing
championship. During his Conscription
, he served in the Israeli Paratroopers Brigade, and later graduated from Tel Aviv University
with a B.A in Law and M.A from Bar-Ilan University
.
Weinstein then worked for the Israeli State Attorney office as a prosecutor for the Central District Attorney's office, and in his latter role there, before his retirement in 1979, he served as a senior deputy for the District Attorney's office. Towards the end of his term there he founded his own private law firm, and became known as a successful criminal defense layer, specializing in White-collar crime
s. Among other known customers, he represented Ezer Weizman
, Aryeh Deri
, Ehud Olmert
, Benjamin Netanyahu
, Yossi Beilin
, Avigdor Ben-Gal and others.
Weinstein was mentioned in the Israeli media outlets as one of the leading candidates for the role of the Attorney General of Israel
both in 2004 and 2009, and as a leading candidate for the role of State Attorney in 2007. On 6 December 2009, the Israeli Cabinet
voted to appoint him as the next AG, replacing Meni Mazuz on 1 February 2010.
Prior to Weinstein becoming Attorney General, an Indian national was illegally employed as a cleaner in his home; after he became AG, Weinstein decided to prosecute the wife of Ehud Barak
for illegally employing a foreign worker in her home.
Weinstein lives in Herzliya Pituah
, married to Aviva and a father of three.
, who, according to Haaretz
called on Jewish homeowners to not rent to Arabs--an action they claim is prohibited by Halakha
. A number of MKs, mainly from Meretz, and public intellectuals, attacked him for dallying on pursuing an investigation against the rabbis, who they argued, as civic officials, were in severe violation of Israeli law .
Attorney General of Israel
The Attorney General of Israel stands at the head of the legal system of the executive branch and the head of the public legal establishment, in charge of protecting the rule of law and as such entrusted with protecting the public interest from possible harm by government authorities...
, having replaced the previous attorney general, Menachem Mazuz
Menachem Mazuz
Menachem Mazuz is an Israeli jurist, who served as the Israeli Attorney General in the years 2004-2010. Mazuz was born in Djerba, Tunisia, the fourth in a family of nine children of the rabbi of one of the island's Jewish communities...
, on 1 February 2010.
Biography
Weinstein 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...
, Mandate Palestine
Mandate Palestine
Mandate Palestine existed while the British Mandate for Palestine, which formally began in September 1923 and terminated in May 1948, was in effect...
to Jewish Parents who 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...
from Poland
Poland
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...
during the 1930s. He grew up in Florentin, Tel Aviv, and during his adolescence he was involved in sports and won the Israeli youth Boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
championship. During his Conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
, he served in the Israeli Paratroopers Brigade, and later graduated from 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:...
with a B.A in Law and M.A from 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...
.
Weinstein then worked for the Israeli State Attorney office as a prosecutor for the Central District Attorney's office, and in his latter role there, before his retirement in 1979, he served as a senior deputy for the District Attorney's office. Towards the end of his term there he founded his own private law firm, and became known as a successful criminal defense layer, specializing in White-collar crime
White-collar crime
Within the field of criminology, white-collar crime has been defined by Edwin Sutherland as "a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation" . Sutherland was a proponent of Symbolic Interactionism, and believed that criminal behavior was...
s. Among other known customers, he represented 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:...
, Aryeh Deri
Aryeh Deri
Aryeh Deri is an Israeli politician, and former leader of Israel's Shas Party.-Biography:After Deri was convicted of taking $155,000 in bribes while serving as Interior Minister and given a three-year jail sentence in 2000, he was replaced by Eli Yishai...
, Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert is an Israeli politician and lawyer. He served as Prime Minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009, as a Cabinet Minister from 1988 to 1992 and from 2003 to 2006, and as Mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003....
, 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...
, Yossi Beilin
Yossi Beilin
Dr. Yosef "Yossi" Beilin is a left-wing Israeli politician and a former Knesset member, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister and Justice Minister, representing both the Labor Party and Meretz-Yachad, of which he served as chairman between 2003 and 2006. He is best known for his involvement with the...
, Avigdor Ben-Gal and others.
Weinstein was mentioned in the Israeli media outlets as one of the leading candidates for the role of the Attorney General of Israel
Attorney General of Israel
The Attorney General of Israel stands at the head of the legal system of the executive branch and the head of the public legal establishment, in charge of protecting the rule of law and as such entrusted with protecting the public interest from possible harm by government authorities...
both in 2004 and 2009, and as a leading candidate for the role of State Attorney in 2007. On 6 December 2009, the Israeli 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...
voted to appoint him as the next AG, replacing Meni Mazuz on 1 February 2010.
Prior to Weinstein becoming Attorney General, an Indian national was illegally employed as a cleaner in his home; after he became AG, Weinstein decided to prosecute the wife of Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak is an Israeli politician who served as Prime Minister from 1999 until 2001. He was leader of the Labor Party until January 2011 and holds the posts of Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister in Binyamin Netanyahu's government....
for illegally employing a foreign worker in her home.
Weinstein lives in Herzliya Pituah
Herzliya Pituah
Herzliya Pituach is an affluent beachfront district in western Herzliya, Israel, home to about 10,000 residents.Herzliya Pituach is known for its hotels, restaurants and high-tech industry.-Marina:...
, married to Aviva and a father of three.
Criticism
Weinstein came under intense criticism for his inaction regarding a number of rabbis in SafedSafed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
, who, according to Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
called on Jewish homeowners to not rent to Arabs--an action they claim is prohibited by Halakha
Halakha
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...
. A number of MKs, mainly from Meretz, and public intellectuals, attacked him for dallying on pursuing an investigation against the rabbis, who they argued, as civic officials, were in severe violation of Israeli law .
External links
- Neeman's choice for AG will have to recuse self from big-name graft cases, Tomer Zarchin, HaaretzHaaretzHaaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
, 27 November 2009