Michael Dekel
Encyclopedia
Michael Dekel was an Israel
i politician who served as a member of the Knesset
for Likud
between 1977 and 1988.
in Poland (now in Belarus
). During World War II he served in the Red Army
between 1943 and 1944, and then the Polish Army from 1944 until 1946. After the war, he became commander of a Betar
group in a Displaced Persons camp
in Austria, and was also amongst the leaders of the Austrian Irgun
branch.
In 1949 he made aliyah
to Israel. The following year he joined moshav Nordia
, which had been founded by former Irgun members. He also became a member of the Herut
party, and in 1966 became a member of its directorate and central committee.
In 1977
he was elected to the Knesset on the Likud list (an alliance of Herut and other right-wing parties). He was re-elected in 1981
, and was appointed Deputy Minister of Agriculture
on 11 August that year. He was re-elected again in 1984
, and was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense on 3 December 1985. He held the post until 21 November 1988, three weeks after losing his seat in the elections
.
He died in 1994 at the age of 74.
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 served 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...
between 1977 and 1988.
Biography
Dekel was born in PinskPinsk
Pinsk , a town in Belarus, in the Polesia region, traversed by the river Pripyat, at the confluence of the Strumen and Pina rivers. The region was known as the Marsh of Pinsk. It is a fertile agricultural center. It lies south-west of Minsk. The population is about 130,000...
in Poland (now in Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
). During World War II he served in the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
between 1943 and 1944, and then the Polish Army from 1944 until 1946. After the war, he became commander of a Betar
Betar
The Betar Movement is a Revisionist Zionist youth movement founded in 1923 in Riga, Latvia, by Vladimir Jabotinsky. It has been traditionally linked to the original Herut and then Likud political parties of Israel, and was closely affiliated with the pre-Israel Revisionist Zionist splinter group...
group in a Displaced Persons camp
Displaced persons camp
A displaced persons camp or DP camp is a temporary facility for displaced persons coerced into forced migration. The term is mainly used for camps established after World War II in West Germany and in Austria, as well as in the United Kingdom, primarily for refugees from Eastern Europe and for the...
in Austria, and was also amongst the leaders of the Austrian Irgun
Irgun
The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...
branch.
In 1949 he 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...
to Israel. The following year he joined moshav Nordia
Nordia
Nordia is a moshav shitufi in central Israel. Located in the Sharon plain near Netanya and the HaSharon Junction, it falls under the jurisdiction of Lev HaSharon Regional Council. In 2007 it had a population of 2,100....
, which had been founded by former Irgun members. He also became a member of the Herut
Herut
Herut was the major right-wing political party in Israel from the 1940s until its formal merger into Likud in 1988, and an adherent of Revisionist Zionism.-History:...
party, and in 1966 became a member of its directorate and central committee.
In 1977
Israeli legislative election, 1977
The Elections for the ninth Knesset were held on 17 May 1977. For the first time in Israeli political history, the right-wing, led by Likud, won the election, ending almost 30 years of rule by the left-wing Alignment and its predecessor, Mapai...
he was elected to the Knesset on the Likud list (an alliance of Herut and other right-wing parties). He was re-elected in 1981
Israeli legislative election, 1981
Elections for the tenth Knesset were held in Israel on 30 June 1981. Despite last minute polls suggesting a victory for Shimon Peres's Alignment, Menachem Begin's Likud won by just one seat...
, and 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...
on 11 August that year. He was re-elected again in 1984
Israeli legislative election, 1984
Elections for the eleventh Knesset were held in Israel on 23 July 1984. Voter turnout was 78.8%. The results saw the Alignment return to being the largest party in the Knesset, a status it had lost in 1977...
, and was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense on 3 December 1985. He held the post until 21 November 1988, three weeks after losing his seat in the elections
Israeli legislative election, 1988
Elections for the twelfth Knesset were held in Israel on 1 November 1988. Voter turnout was 79.7%.-Results:1 Five members of the Likud left to form the Party for the Advancement of the Zionist Idea; after two returned, the party was renamed the New Liberal Party...
.
He died in 1994 at the age of 74.