Yohanan Plesner
Encyclopedia
Yohanan Plesner is an Israel
i politician
and a member of the Knesset
for Kadima
.
, Plesner grew up in Jerusalem and served as an officer with the Sayeret Matkal
elite unit during his national service
in the IDF
between 1989 and 1994. He went on to study at the Prestigious Amirim Program of Excellence at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
, where he gained a BA with distinction in economics
. Mr. Plesner then spent several years in the business world, first as a consultant to major financial corporations in the UK, and then as co-founder and manager of an international software company. He moved on to the John F. Kennedy School of Government
at Harvard University
, where he gained an MA in political economics and security studies, and spoke regularly on behalf of Israel. Upon his return to Israel, Mr. Plesner assumed the position of Head of Special Projects in the Prime Minister's Office under then PM Ariel Sharon. When the Kadima Party was founded in early 2006, Mr. Plesner was appointed the first Secretary-General of the nascent party, and led the formation of its organizational infrastructure. A Member of Knesset since 2007, Mr. Plesner is currently Deputy Chairman of the Kadima Faction. He is a member of both the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee and of the Defense and Foreign Relations Committee. Mr. Plesner founded the European Forum of the Knesset, a parliamentary group dedicated to improving relations between the Knesset and European legislators, and chairs the Knesset's permanent delegation to the Council of Europe. During his time in the Knesset, Mr. Plesner has spoken out on issues ranging from national security and electoral reform to preservation of the environment and excellence in education. He lives in Hod Hasharon with his wife Shimrit and his two daughters, Michaela and Ayala.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and 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...
for Kadima
Kadima
Kadima is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians...
.
Life and career
Born in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Plesner grew up in Jerusalem and served as an officer with the Sayeret Matkal
Sayeret Matkal
Sayeret Matkal is a special forces unit of the Israel Defence Forces , which is subordinated to the intelligence directorate Aman. First and foremost a field intelligence-gathering unit, conducting deep reconnaissance behind enemy lines to obtain strategic intelligence, Sayeret Matkal is also...
elite unit during his national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the IDF
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...
between 1989 and 1994. He went on to study at the Prestigious Amirim Program of Excellence at the 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...
, where he gained a BA with distinction in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
. Mr. Plesner then spent several years in the business world, first as a consultant to major financial corporations in the UK, and then as co-founder and manager of an international software company. He moved on to the John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, where he gained an MA in political economics and security studies, and spoke regularly on behalf of Israel. Upon his return to Israel, Mr. Plesner assumed the position of Head of Special Projects in the Prime Minister's Office under then PM Ariel Sharon. When the Kadima Party was founded in early 2006, Mr. Plesner was appointed the first Secretary-General of the nascent party, and led the formation of its organizational infrastructure. A Member of Knesset since 2007, Mr. Plesner is currently Deputy Chairman of the Kadima Faction. He is a member of both the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee and of the Defense and Foreign Relations Committee. Mr. Plesner founded the European Forum of the Knesset, a parliamentary group dedicated to improving relations between the Knesset and European legislators, and chairs the Knesset's permanent delegation to the Council of Europe. During his time in the Knesset, Mr. Plesner has spoken out on issues ranging from national security and electoral reform to preservation of the environment and excellence in education. He lives in Hod Hasharon with his wife Shimrit and his two daughters, Michaela and Ayala.