Shalom Simhon
Encyclopedia
Shalom Simhon is an Israel
i 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
.
, after completing his national service
, Simhon studied for a BA in social work, and became a social worker. He lives in Even Menachem, a moshav
in the western Galilee, and was secretary general of the Moshavim Movement
. He has also chaired the Social Department of the Moshavim Movement, the Youth Department of the Moshavim Movement (for which he was also secretary) and was secretary general of HaMerkaz HaHakla'i
.
Simhon was first elected to the Knesset in the 1996 elections
. He retained his seat in the 1999 elections, and was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Ariel Sharon
's national unity government
as well as serving as chairman of the Finance Committee. He served in the cabinet again during the 16th Knesset after Labour joined the government, this time as Minister of the Environment
. In 2006 there was an investigation into whether he had received personal favours from an airline company, though he denied the claim.
After retaining his seat in the 2006 elections he was reappointed Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. He retained his seat again in the 2009 elections
, having been placed twelfth on the Labor list. In January 2011 he was one of five members to leave Labor to establish Independence
, and was appointed Industry, Trade and Labour Minister
, replacing Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
. On 18 January he was also appointed Minister of Minorities.
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 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 Independence
Independence (Israeli political party)
Independence is a recently-established political party in Israel. It was launched by Defense Minister Ehud Barak on 17 January 2011 after he and four other Labour Party MKs announced their secession from the caucus...
. He currently serves as the Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour
Industry, Trade and Labour Minister of Israel
The Industry, Trade and Labour Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labour and a position in the Israeli cabinet....
and Minister of Minorities in the Israeli cabinet
Cabinet of Israel
The Cabinet of Israel is a formal body composed of government officials called ministers, chosen and led by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister must appoint members based on the distribution of votes to political parties during legislative elections, and its composition must be approved by a...
.
Biography
Born in Kfar SabaKfar Saba
Kfar Saba , officially Kfar Sava, is a city in the Sharon region, of the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2009, Kfar Saba had a total population of 83,600.-History:...
, after completing 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...
, Simhon studied for a BA in social work, and became a social worker. He lives in Even Menachem, a moshav
Moshav
Moshav is a type of Israeli town or settlement, in particular a type of cooperative agricultural community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists during the second aliyah...
in the western Galilee, and was secretary general of the Moshavim Movement
Moshavim Movement
The Moshavim Movement is one of the main settlement movements in Israel, whose members are cooperative villages organized as moshavim and moshavim shitufiim...
. He has also chaired the Social Department of the Moshavim Movement, the Youth Department of the Moshavim Movement (for which he was also secretary) and was secretary general of HaMerkaz HaHakla'i
HaMerkaz HaHakla'i
HaMerkaz HaHakla'i is a settlement movement in Israel.The 151 members of HaMerkaz HaHakla'i are selected every four years by a conference of 501 members of the Agricultural Workers Union, which was established in 1919. The organisation is headed by a 21-member secretariat.After the Histadrut was...
.
Simhon was first 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...
. He retained his seat in the 1999 elections, and was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in 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....
's national unity government
National unity government
A national unity government, government of national unity, or national union government is a broad coalition government consisting of all parties in the legislature, usually formed during a time of war or other national emergency.- Canada :During World War I the Conservative government of Sir...
as well as serving as chairman of the Finance Committee. He served in the cabinet again during the 16th Knesset after Labour joined the government, this time as Minister of the Environment
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...
. In 2006 there was an investigation into whether he had received personal favours from an airline company, though he denied the claim.
After retaining his seat in the 2006 elections he was reappointed Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. He 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 Labor list. In January 2011 he was one of five members to leave Labor to establish Independence
Independence (Israeli political party)
Independence is a recently-established political party in Israel. It was launched by Defense Minister Ehud Barak on 17 January 2011 after he and four other Labour Party MKs announced their secession from the caucus...
, and was appointed Industry, Trade and Labour Minister
Industry, Trade and Labour Minister of Israel
The Industry, Trade and Labour Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labour and a position in the Israeli cabinet....
, replacing Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
Binyamin Fuad Ben-Eliezer , , born 12 February 1936) is an Israeli politician and former military officer of Iraqi origin. He currently serves as a member of the Knesset for the Labor Party, and has held several ministerial posts, including Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour, Minister of...
. On 18 January he was also appointed Minister of Minorities.