Shmuel Tamir
Encyclopedia
Shmuel M. Tamir was a prominent Israel
i independence fighter, lawyer, Knesset
member from 1965 to 1980, and Minister of Justice in the government of Menachem Begin
from 1977 until 1980
in 1938 and after the declaration of the Revolt in February 1944, and took part in operations against British targets, most notably the 26 February 1944 attack on income tax offices in Jerusalem. During 1946 he served as Deputy Commander of the Jerusalem District and was in charge of the Irgun Intelligence unit in Jerusalem.
He was arrested by the British several times, and in March 1947 was exiled to Detention Camps
in Africa
where he finished his Law studies. In the camp he served as the Supervisor who represented the detainees to the British Authorities.
trials.
He was one of the founders of Menachem Begin
's Herut
party, but left in 1952. He returned to the party in 1964, and in 1965 was elected
to the Knesset on the Gahal
list.
In 1966 he was expelled from the party, and together with two others, formed the Free Centre
. He was re-elected in 1969, and again in 1973, by which time the party had merged into Likud
. He resigned from the Knesset in January 1977, and soon after joined the new centrist party, the Democratic Movement for Change
(Dash). He was returned to the Knesset in the 1977 elections
on Dash's list, and was appointed Minister of Justice in the Begin government
. As Dash disintegrated, Tamir joined the Democratic Movement
, before leaving to sit as an independent MK. He resigned from the cabinet
in August 1980, and lost his seat in the 1981 election
.
and Joseph Trumpeldor
's sergeant and companion in the Battle of Gallipoli
) and Batsheva Katznelson
(a member of the Knesset). Two of his uncles were Joseph Katzenelson, a companion of Ze'ev Jabotinsky and one of the Irgun's two Chiefs of Illegal Immigration and Avraham Katznelson
, one of the signatories of the Israeli declaration of independence, and his aunt was Rachel Katznelson-Shazar
, wife of Zalman Shazar
, the third President of Israel.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i independence fighter, lawyer, 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...
member from 1965 to 1980, and Minister of Justice in the government of Menachem Begin
Menachem Begin
' was a politician, founder of Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Before independence, he was the leader of the Zionist militant group Irgun, the Revisionist breakaway from the larger Jewish paramilitary organization Haganah. He proclaimed a revolt, on 1 February 1944,...
from 1977 until 1980
Irgun
Born in Jerusalem, Katzenelson joined the IrgunIrgun
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...
in 1938 and after the declaration of the Revolt in February 1944, and took part in operations against British targets, most notably the 26 February 1944 attack on income tax offices in Jerusalem. During 1946 he served as Deputy Commander of the Jerusalem District and was in charge of the Irgun Intelligence unit in Jerusalem.
Irgun and Lehi internment in Africa
From 1944 to 1948, Irgun and Lehi men being held without trial at the Latroun concentration camp were deported by the British Mandate of Palestine authorities to internment camps in Africa, located in Sembel , Carthago, Sudan, and Gilgil...
in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
where he finished his Law studies. In the camp he served as the Supervisor who represented the detainees to the British Authorities.
Post-independence
Katzenelson returned home with the last exiles from Kenya on July 12, 1948, after Israeli independence was declared; upon arriving in Israel, he adopted his code name, Tamir (meaning "tall and slender") as his legal name. He had a notable career as a lawyer and conducted several famous political cases, including the Yedidya Segal and Rudolf KastnerRudolf Kastner
Rudolf Israel Kastner was a Jewish-Hungarian journalist and lawyer who became known for facilitating the departure of Jews out of Nazi-occupied Hungary during the Holocaust...
trials.
He was one of the founders of Menachem Begin
Menachem Begin
' was a politician, founder of Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Before independence, he was the leader of the Zionist militant group Irgun, the Revisionist breakaway from the larger Jewish paramilitary organization Haganah. He proclaimed a revolt, on 1 February 1944,...
's 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, but left in 1952. He returned to the party in 1964, and in 1965 was elected
Israeli legislative election, 1965
Elections for the sixth Knesset were held in Israel on 1 November 1965. Voter turnout was 85.9%.-Background:Prior to the elections, two major alliances were formed; Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda united to form the Alignment, whilst Herut and the Liberal Party had formed the Gahal alliance towards the end...
to the Knesset on the Gahal
Gahal
Gahal , lit. Herut-Liberals Bloc) was the major right-wing political faction in Israel led by Menachem Begin from its founding in 1965 until it merged into Likud in 1973.-Background:...
list.
In 1966 he was expelled from the party, and together with two others, formed the Free Centre
Free Centre
The Free Centre was a political party in Israel, and is one of the ancestors of the modern-day Likud.-Background:The party was created on 29 March 1967 during the sixth Knesset when Shmuel Tamir led a breakaway of three Herut members after a leadership dispute with Menachem Begin...
. He was re-elected in 1969, and again in 1973, by which time the party had merged into 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...
. He resigned from the Knesset in January 1977, and soon after joined the new centrist party, the Democratic Movement for Change
Democratic Movement for Change
The Democratic Movement for Change , commonly known by its Hebrew acronym Dash was a short-lived and initially highly-successful centrist political party in Israel...
(Dash). He was returned to the Knesset in the 1977 elections
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...
on Dash's list, and was appointed Minister of Justice in the Begin government
Eighteenth government of Israel
The eighteenth government of Israel was formed by Menachem Begin on 20 June 1977, following the May 1977 elections. It was the first government in Israeli political history led by a right-wing party, with the coalition consisting of Begin's Likud , the National Religious Party and Agudat...
. As Dash disintegrated, Tamir joined the Democratic Movement
Democratic Movement (Israel)
The Democratic Movement was a short-lived political party in Israel formed in the aftermath of the spectacular breakup of Dash. Founded in 1978, it lasted only until 1981.-Background:...
, before leaving to sit as an independent MK. He resigned from the 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...
in August 1980, and lost his seat in the 1981 election
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...
.
Personal life
Shmuel was the son of Reuven Katzenelson (a member of the Jewish LegionJewish Legion
The Jewish Legion was the name for five battalions of Jewish volunteers established as the British Army's 38th through 42nd Battalions of the Royal Fusiliers...
and Joseph Trumpeldor
Joseph Trumpeldor
Joseph Trumpeldor , was an early Zionist activist. He helped organize the Zion Mule Corps and bring Jewish immigrants to the Land of Israel. Trumpeldor died defending the settlement of Tel Hai in 1920 and subsequently became a Zionist national hero...
's sergeant and companion in the Battle of Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
) and Batsheva Katznelson
Batsheva Katznelson
Batsheva Katznelson was an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for the General Zionists between 1951 and 1955.-Biography:...
(a member of the Knesset). Two of his uncles were Joseph Katzenelson, a companion of Ze'ev Jabotinsky and one of the Irgun's two Chiefs of Illegal Immigration and Avraham Katznelson
Avraham Katznelson
Dr Avraham Katznelson was a Zionist political figure in Mandate Palestine and a signatory of the Israeli declaration of independence.-Biography:Katznelson was born in 1888 in Babruysk in the Russian Empire, now in Belarus...
, one of the signatories of the Israeli declaration of independence, and his aunt was Rachel Katznelson-Shazar
Rachel Katznelson-Shazar
Rachel Katznelson-Shazar , also known as Rachel Shazar, was an active figure in the Zionist movement and wife of Zalman Shazar, the third President of the State of Israel.-Biography:...
, wife of Zalman Shazar
Zalman Shazar
Zalman Shazar was an Israeli politician, author. and poet. Shazar served as the third President of Israel from 1963 to 1973.-Biography:...
, the third President of Israel.