Gila Gamliel
Encyclopedia
Gila Gamliel is an Israel
i politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset
for Likud
and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
.
, Gamliel studied at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
, where she was awarded a BA in Middle Eastern history and philosophy and an MA in philosophy. During her time as a student, she was chairwoman of the university's student union, and also the first woman chair of the National Students' Association. Later on, she obtained a Bachelor of Laws at the Ono Academic College
and a Master of Laws at the Bar-Ilan University
.
For the 1999 elections she was placed 25th on the Likud list, but missed out on a place in the Knesset when the party won only 19 seats. In 2003 she surprisingly won 11th place on the Likud list for the elections that year, ahead of several cabinet ministers. She became a Knesset member when the party won 38 seats, but police decided to open an investigation into the suspected transfer of student funds into a private company. She was also accused of blackmailing a fellow student council member in order to retain the chairmanship of the students' association of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev at the time. Gamliel denied both accusations. In November 2003 the fraud police decided to stop the investigations against her because of lack of enough evidence.
Mid-2003 she opposed the acceptance of the so-called road map for peace
by the government of Prime Minister and fellow Likud member Ariel Sharon
.
About the same time, in June 2003, she and three other Knesset members of Likud were actually banned from the Likud faction for three months because they had been voting against an encroaching plan of Likud in matters of economy. By implementing severe austerities
the Likud government was hoping to recover the declining state of Israel's economy.
During her first term in the Knesset she chaired the committee on the Status of Women, and in March 2005 was appointed Deputy Minister of Agriculture
.
However, she missed out on a place on the Likud list for the 2006 elections and lost her seat. Prior to the 2009 elections
she won nineteenth place on the party's list, and returned to the Knesset as Likud won 27 seats. On April 1, 2009 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
appointed Gamliel as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office in his new government, with the portfolio of the Advancement of Young People, Students and Women.
In November 2010 she was not allowed to enter Dubai
to participate in a conference of the World Economic Forum
because of the assassination of senior Hamas
military commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
in January 2010, of which the Mossad
was accused of.
. Her given name
means 'joy' and her surname means 'reward from God'. She has five elder brothers, comes from a simple background and is a Mizrahi Jew
. The Gamliels are a big family of Yemenite Jews
in Gila's birthplace Gedera
. Her mother originated from the Libya
n town Tripoli
.
Other family members of Gila are politicians as well. Her brother Chaim is/was chairman of Likud in Gedera, her uncle Yoel Gamliel is mayor of Gedera and another relative, Aryeh Gamliel, is a former member of the Knesset for Shas
.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician who currently serves as 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 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...
and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
A Minister in the Prime Minister's Office is a minister and member of the cabinet appointed by the Prime Minister of Israel for the purpose of being involved in various matters on behalf of the Prime Minister.-List of current and former ministrations:...
.
Biography
Born in GederaGedera
-External links:** *...
, Gamliel studied at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is a university in Beersheba, Israel, established in 1969. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has a current enrollment of 17,400 students, and is one of Israel's fastest growing universities....
, where she was awarded a BA in Middle Eastern history and philosophy and an MA in philosophy. During her time as a student, she was chairwoman of the university's student union, and also the first woman chair of the National Students' Association. Later on, she obtained a Bachelor of Laws at the Ono Academic College
Ono Academic College
Ono Academic College is a college located in Kiryat Ono, Israel. Ono currently is capable of granting B.A., LL.B. and M.B.A. degrees. The college has a program that serves the Ultra-orthodox population by allowing men to attend classes on different days than women...
and a Master of Laws at the 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...
.
For the 1999 elections she was placed 25th on the Likud list, but missed out on a place in the Knesset when the party won only 19 seats. In 2003 she surprisingly won 11th place on the Likud list for the elections that year, ahead of several cabinet ministers. She became a Knesset member when the party won 38 seats, but police decided to open an investigation into the suspected transfer of student funds into a private company. She was also accused of blackmailing a fellow student council member in order to retain the chairmanship of the students' association of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev at the time. Gamliel denied both accusations. In November 2003 the fraud police decided to stop the investigations against her because of lack of enough evidence.
Mid-2003 she opposed the acceptance of the so-called road map for peace
Road map for peace
The roadmap for peace or "road map" for peace is a plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by a "quartet" of international entities: the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations. The principles of the plan, originally drafted by U.S. Foreign Service...
by the government of Prime Minister and fellow Likud member 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....
.
About the same time, in June 2003, she and three other Knesset members of Likud were actually banned from the Likud faction for three months because they had been voting against an encroaching plan of Likud in matters of economy. By implementing severe austerities
Austerity
In economics, austerity is a policy of deficit-cutting, lower spending, and a reduction in the amount of benefits and public services provided. Austerity policies are often used by governments to reduce their deficit spending while sometimes coupled with increases in taxes to pay back creditors to...
the Likud government was hoping to recover the declining state of Israel's economy.
During her first term in the Knesset she chaired the committee on the Status of Women, and in March 2005 was appointed Deputy Minister of Agriculture
Agriculture Minister of Israel
The Agriculture Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and a relatively minor position in the Israeli cabinet. Since 1992 the full title of the position has been the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development , the Development Ministry having been...
.
However, she missed out on a place on the Likud list for the 2006 elections and lost her seat. Prior to 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...
she won nineteenth place on the party's list, and returned to the Knesset as Likud won 27 seats. On April 1, 2009 Prime Minister 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...
appointed Gamliel as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office in his new government, with the portfolio of the Advancement of Young People, Students and Women.
In November 2010 she was not allowed to enter Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
to participate in a conference of the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
because of the assassination of senior Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
military commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
Mahmoud Abdel Rauf al-Mabhouh was a senior Hamas military commander and one of the founders of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military affiliate of Hamas...
in January 2010, of which the Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
was accused of.
Personal life
Gila Gamliel is married twice, has a child from her second marriage and lives 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...
. Her given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
means 'joy' and her surname means 'reward from God'. She has five elder brothers, comes from a simple background and is a Mizrahi Jew
Mizrahi Jews
Mizrahi Jews or Mizrahiyim, , also referred to as Adot HaMizrach are Jews descended from the Jewish communities of the Middle East, North Africa and the Caucasus...
. The Gamliels are a big family of Yemenite Jews
Yemenite Jews
Yemenite Jews are those Jews who live, or whose recent ancestors lived, in Yemen . Between June 1949 and September 1950, the overwhelming majority of Yemen's Jewish population was transported to Israel in Operation Magic Carpet...
in Gila's birthplace Gedera
Gedera
-External links:** *...
. Her mother originated from the Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n town Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
.
Other family members of Gila are politicians as well. Her brother Chaim is/was chairman of Likud in Gedera, her uncle Yoel Gamliel is mayor of Gedera and another relative, Aryeh Gamliel, is a former member of the Knesset for Shas
Shas
Shas is an ultra-orthodox religious political party in Israel, primarily representing Sephardic and Mizrahi Haredi Judaism.Shas was founded in 1984 by dissident members of the Ashkenazi dominated Agudat Israel, to represent the interests of religiously observant Sephardic and Mizrahi ...
.
External links
- Gila Gamliel, MK. Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (Likud), Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Politics: A woman with three hats (interview), The Jerusalem Post, January 10, 2010