Benjamin Ben-Eliezer
Benjamin Ben-Eliezer is an Israeli politician. He is currently a member of the Knesset for Labor.[1]
Early Life
Benjamin (Fouad) Ben-Eliezer was born in Iraq in 1936 and immigrated to Israel in 1949.[1]
IDF Career
Ben-Eliezer served in the Israel Defense Forces as a career officer, serving as a commander in the Six-Day War (1967) and the Yom Kippur War (1973). He was wounded in the War of Attrition. Ben-Eliezer graduated from the IDF Command and Staff College and the Israel National Defense College. He was a member of the IDF Military Mission to Singapore from 1970 to 1973.[1]
In 1977 he was appointed Commanding Officer in Southern Lebanon, serving as the IDF liaison between Israel and the Christians in Lebanon. Ben-Eliezer served as Military Governor of Judea and Samaria (1978-81) and as Coordinator of Government Operations in the Territories (1983-84).[1]
Political Career
In 1984 Ben-Eliezer was elected to the Knesset. He has served on the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee (1984-92, 1996-99); Labor and Social Welfare Committee (1984-1988); and House Committee (1974-1988). He also chaired the Israel-Canada Parliamentary Friendship League (1988-92).[1]
Benjamin Ben-Eliezer served as Minister of Construction and Housing from 1992-1996.[1]
In July 1999 he was appointed Minister of Communications and Deputy Prime Minister, and in August 2000 was also assigned the Construction and Housing portfolio, serving in these positions until March 2001.[1]
Benjamin Ben-Eliezer served as Minister of Defense from March 2001 until October 2002, when he resigned from the government together with the other Labor ministers.[1]
In January 2005 he was appointed Minister of National Infrastructures. He resigned his post at the end of November with the resignation of Labor from the government.[1]
Benjamin Ben-Eliezer served as Minister of National Infrastructures from May 2006 until March 2009, and as Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor from March 2009 until his resignation in January 2011.[1]
In 2007, Ben-Eliezer was reportedly advised by Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Sulieman to cancel a visit to Egypt because of allegations that his unit had been involved in a massacre of prisoners during the 1967 war.[2]
Affiliations
External Resources
- Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs biography.
- Binyamin (Fouad) Ben-Eliezer, Knesset biography.
