Gideon Ezra
Encyclopedia
Gideon Ezra is an Israel
i politician, member of the Knesset
for Kadima
and a former Minister of Environmental Protection
.
. He studied Geography and Political Science at the University of Haifa
before starting work with the Shin Bet in 1962.
After retiring from Shin Bet in 1995, he worked as an advisor to then Minister of Internal Security Moshe Shahal
.
Ezra was elected to the Knesset in the 1996 elections
on the Likud
list, and retained his seat in the 1999 and 2003 elections. After Ariel Sharon
beat Ehud Barak
in the 2001 election for Prime Minister, Ezra was appointed Deputy Minister of Internal Security.
In August 2002 Ezra opined about the approaching American invasion of Iraq: "The more aggressive the attack is, the more it will help Israel against the Palestinians." Military action against Iraq would "undoubtedly deal a psychological blow" to the Palestinians, added the Deputy Minister.
He was given his first full ministerial position after the 2003 elections when appointed Minister in the Ministry of the Prime Minister's Office. When Binyamin Elon
was sacked as Minister of Tourism
in July 2004, Ezra replaced him, initially as Acting Minister (the position was made permanent at the end of August). From September 2004 he also held the position of Acting Minister of Internal Security after Tzachi Hanegbi
resigned in the face of corruption allegations. This ministerial post was also made permanent in November, and Ezra oversaw the evacuation of the Amona
settlement in February 2006. In November 2005 he was attacked during a rally in Sderot
against Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
over his support for it.
In January 2005 he was replaced as Tourism Minister by Avraham Hirschson
. When Sharon founded Kadima
in late 2005, Ezra joined him, picking up the Environment Ministry portfolio from Labor's Shalom Simhon
.
After the 2006 elections he was appointed Minister of Environmental Protection by new PM Ehud Olmert
. In April 2007 he announced that he would oppose plans to build a solar energy plant near Dimona
on the basis that it would affect a nature reserve. He has also overseen the expansion of container deposit legislation
to cover 1.5 litre bottles.
Ezra retained his seat again in the 2009 elections
, having been placed twelfth on the Kadima list. However, he lost his place in the cabinet as the Likud-led coalition formed the government
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician, 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...
and a former Minister of Environmental Protection
Environmental Protection Minister of Israel
The Environmental Protection Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Environment and a relatively minor position in the Israeli cabinet. The post was created on 22 December 1988, and until May 2006 was known as the Minister of the Environment...
.
Biography
Ezra was born in Jerusalem and served in the Israeli Defense Force between 1955 and 1958 in the NahalNahal
Nahal is an Israel Defense Forces infantry brigade. Historically, it refers to a program that combines military service and establishment of new agricultural settlements, often in outlying areas...
. He studied Geography and Political Science at 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....
before starting work with the Shin Bet in 1962.
After retiring from Shin Bet in 1995, he worked as an advisor to then Minister of Internal Security Moshe Shahal
Moshe Shahal
-Biography:Born in Baghdad in Iraq, Shahal made aliyah in 1950. He studied economics and Political Science at the University of Haifa, before graduating with a law degree from Tel Aviv University....
.
Ezra was elected to the Knesset in the 1996 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1996
Elections for the fourteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 29 May 1996. Voter turnout was 79.3%.The 1996 elections included two new changes, both designed to increase the stability of the Knesset. First, the Prime Minister was to be elected on a separate ballot from the remaining members of the...
on the 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...
list, and retained his seat in the 1999 and 2003 elections. After 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....
beat 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....
in the 2001 election for Prime Minister, Ezra was appointed Deputy Minister of Internal Security.
In August 2002 Ezra opined about the approaching American invasion of Iraq: "The more aggressive the attack is, the more it will help Israel against the Palestinians." Military action against Iraq would "undoubtedly deal a psychological blow" to the Palestinians, added the Deputy Minister.
He was given his first full ministerial position after the 2003 elections when appointed Minister in the Ministry of the Prime Minister's Office. When Binyamin Elon
Binyamin Elon
Rabbi Binyamin "Benny" Elon is an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Moledet and the National Union between 1996 and 2009. A ninth-generation Jerusalemite, Elon has lived in Beit El, an Israeli settlement in the West Bank for the last twenty years...
was sacked as Minister of Tourism
Tourism Minister of Israel
The Tourism Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism and a relatively minor position in the Israeli cabinet. The position is currently held by Stas Misezhnikov of Yisrael Beiteinu....
in July 2004, Ezra replaced him, initially as Acting Minister (the position was made permanent at the end of August). From September 2004 he also held the position of Acting Minister of Internal Security after Tzachi Hanegbi
Tzachi Hanegbi
Tzachi Hanegbi is a prominent Israeli lawmaker and security expert. Hanegbi was the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee at the Knesset. Among the top cabinet positions he previously held are Minister of Justice, Minister of Internal Security and Minister of Intelligence and...
resigned in the face of corruption allegations. This ministerial post was also made permanent in November, and Ezra oversaw the evacuation of the Amona
Amona
Amona is an Israeli settlement in the central West Bank, on a hill overlooking Ofra. Located within the municipal boundaries of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, the village was founded in 1997 on a hilltop of privately owned Palestinian land and inhabited by young settlers from Ofra.By late...
settlement in February 2006. In November 2005 he was attacked during a rally in Sderot
Sderot
Sderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...
against Israel's unilateral disengagement 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...
over his support for it.
In January 2005 he was replaced as Tourism Minister by Avraham Hirschson
Avraham Hirschson
Avraham Hirchson was an Israeli politician. He served as a member of the Knesset for Likud and Kadima between 1981 and 1984, and again from 1992 until 2009. He also held the posts of Minister of Communications, Minister of Finance and Minister of Tourism...
. When Sharon founded 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...
in late 2005, Ezra joined him, picking up the Environment Ministry portfolio from Labor's Shalom Simhon
Shalom Simhon
Shalom Simhon is an Israeli politician and member of the Knesset for Independence. He currently serves as the Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour and Minister of Minorities in the Israeli cabinet.-Biography:...
.
After the 2006 elections he was appointed Minister of Environmental Protection by new PM 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....
. In April 2007 he announced that he would oppose plans to build a solar energy plant near Dimona
Dimona
Dimona is an Israeli city in the Negev desert, to the south of Beersheba and west of the Dead Sea above the Arava valley in the Southern District of Israel. Its population at the end of 2007 was 33,600.-History:...
on the basis that it would affect a nature reserve. He has also overseen the expansion of container deposit legislation
Container deposit legislation
Container-deposit legislation is any law that requires collection of a monetary deposit on soft-drink, juice, milk, water, alcoholic-beverage, and/or other containers at the point of sale...
to cover 1.5 litre bottles.
Ezra retained his seat again in the 2009 elections
Israeli legislative election, 2009
Elections for the 18th Knesset were held in Israel on 10 February 2009. These elections became necessary due to the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as leader of the Kadima party, and the failure of his successor, Tzipi Livni, to form a coalition government...
, having been placed twelfth on the Kadima list. However, he lost his place in the cabinet as the Likud-led coalition formed the government