Amram Mitzna
Encyclopedia
Amram Mitzna is an Israel
i politician and former general. He is the acting mayor of Yeruham
, the former mayor of Haifa
(1993–2003) and led the Labour Party from 2002 to 2003.
from Germany. He attended a military boarding school in Haifa
, graduating in 1963 and enlisting into the IDF
the same year. He served in various positions in the IDF armored force, the Command and Staff College, and the Operations Division in the General Staff, receiving the Medal of Distinguished Service
for his actions during the Six-Day War
and the Yom Kippur War
, both of which saw him wounded.
In 1977 he graduated from the University of Haifa
with a degree in geography, before studying at the U.S. Army War College
in Pennsylvania
, finishing his course in 1979.
In 1986 he was promoted to Major General, and assisted the Head of the Operations branch. In 1987 he became commander of the Central Command, and in 1989 completed the program for senior public figures at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University
.
In 1990 he became head of the IDF's planning branch, and gained an MA from Haifa University in political science. He retired from the IDF in 1993.
representing Labour, and re-elected in 1998. He won the Labour's leadership elections on 19 November 2002 with 54% of the vote. During campaigning for the 2003 elections, Mitzna proposed that Israel pursue further negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, but if they failed to yield a solution, that Israel withdraw from the Gaza Strip and most of the West Bank, and unilaterally set its final borders. His position was lambasted by Likud
leader Ariel Sharon
, though later partially implemented by him as the disengament plan
.
Mitzna oversaw Labour's second worst electoral performance in the 2003 elections, the party winning just 19 seats. He resigned as party leader shortly after, replaced by Shimon Peres
.
In November 2005, the Internal Affairs Minister appointed Mitzna acting mayor of Yeruham
, a town in the southern Negev
region, after the elected mayor was forced to step aside, due to incompetence. Mitzna resigned from the Knesset to take up the role.
In April 2008 and June 2009, Mitzna signed letters of support for the recently created J Street
American pro-peace lobby group.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician and former general. He is the acting mayor of Yeruham
Yeruham
Yeruham is a town in the Southern District of Israel, in the Negev desert. It covers 38,584 dunams and had a population of 9,400 in 2006. It is named after the Biblical Jeroham. The mayor of Yeruham was Amram Mitzna but his term ended in early 2011, and he was succeeded by Michael Bitton of...
, the former mayor of Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
(1993–2003) and led the Labour Party from 2002 to 2003.
Youth, studies and military service
He was born in Kibbutz Dovrat to Jewish refugeesJewish refugees
In the course of history, Jewish populations have been expelled or ostracised by various local authorities and have sought asylum from antisemitism numerous times...
from Germany. He attended a military boarding school in Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, graduating in 1963 and enlisting into 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...
the same year. He served in various positions in the IDF armored force, the Command and Staff College, and the Operations Division in the General Staff, receiving the Medal of Distinguished Service
Medal of Distinguished Service
The Medal of Distinguished Service is an Israeli military decoration.- Overview :The medal has instituted in 1970 by act of law in the Knesset and could also be awarded also for actions performed before 1970....
for his actions during the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
and the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
, both of which saw him wounded.
In 1977 he graduated from the University of Haifa
University of Haifa
The University of Haifa is a university in Haifa, Israel.The University of Haifa was founded in 1963 by Haifa mayor Abba Hushi, to operate under the academic auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem....
with a degree in geography, before studying at the U.S. Army War College
U.S. Army War College
The United States Army War College is a United States Army school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500 acre campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, finishing his course in 1979.
In 1986 he was promoted to Major General, and assisted the Head of the Operations branch. In 1987 he became commander of the Central Command, and in 1989 completed the program for senior public figures at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs 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...
.
In 1990 he became head of the IDF's planning branch, and gained an MA from Haifa University in political science. He retired from the IDF in 1993.
Political career
In the same year as finishing his military career, Mitzna was elected mayor of HaifaHaifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
representing Labour, and re-elected in 1998. He won the Labour's leadership elections on 19 November 2002 with 54% of the vote. During campaigning for the 2003 elections, Mitzna proposed that Israel pursue further negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, but if they failed to yield a solution, that Israel withdraw from the Gaza Strip and most of the West Bank, and unilaterally set its final borders. His position was lambasted by 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...
leader Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
, though later partially implemented by him as the disengament plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan , also known as the "Disengagement plan", "Gaza expulsion plan", and "Hitnatkut", was a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, adopted by the government on June 6, 2004 and enacted in August 2005, to evict all Israelis from the Gaza Strip and from...
.
Mitzna oversaw Labour's second worst electoral performance in the 2003 elections, the party winning just 19 seats. He resigned as party leader shortly after, replaced by 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...
.
In November 2005, the Internal Affairs Minister appointed Mitzna acting mayor of Yeruham
Yeruham
Yeruham is a town in the Southern District of Israel, in the Negev desert. It covers 38,584 dunams and had a population of 9,400 in 2006. It is named after the Biblical Jeroham. The mayor of Yeruham was Amram Mitzna but his term ended in early 2011, and he was succeeded by Michael Bitton of...
, a town in the southern Negev
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
region, after the elected mayor was forced to step aside, due to incompetence. Mitzna resigned from the Knesset to take up the role.
In April 2008 and June 2009, Mitzna signed letters of support for the recently created J Street
J Street
J Street is a nonprofit liberal advocacy group based in the United States whose stated aim is to promote American leadership to end the Arab-Israeli and Israel-Palestinian conflicts peacefully and diplomatically. It was founded in April 2008....
American pro-peace lobby group.
External links
- Amram Mitzna on the Knesset website (in English)
- Amram Mitzna - Labor Haaretz
- Amram Mitzna: The Left's New Knight in Armor Challenge
- Amram Mitzna Jewish Virtual Library