Twenty-ninth government of Israel

The twenty-ninth government of Israel was formed by Ariel Sharon on 7 March 2001, following his victory over Ehud Barak in the special election for Prime Minister in February. It was the first, and to date only time an election for Prime Minister was held without parallel elections for the Knesset, and one of the first acts of the new government was to repeal the law which introduced separate elections.[1] Despite his large margin of victory in the election, because there had been no Knesset elections, Sharon's Likud was not the largest party in the Knesset, resulting in the formation of a national unity coalition that at some point included Labor-Meimad (the largest faction in the Knesset), Shas, the Centre Party, the National Religious Party, United Torah Judaism, Yisrael BaAliyah, the National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu, the New Way and Gesher.[2] Shas left the government on 23 May 2002, but returned on 3 June, whilst Labor-Meimad left on 2 November 2002.

First Sharon Cabinet

29th Cabinet of Israel
Date formed7 March 2001 (2001-03-07)
Date dissolved28 February 2003 (2003-02-28)
People and organisations
Head of stateMoshe Katzav
Head of governmentAriel Sharon
Member partiesLikud
Labor-Meimad (until 2 November 2002)
Shas
Yisrael BaAliyah
Yisrael Beiteinu
Centre Party
National Union
Gesher
New Way
United Torah Judaism
Status in legislatureCoalition government
Opposition leaderYossi Sarid (until 2 November 2002)
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (after 2 November 2002)
History
Election(s)2001 Israeli prime ministerial election
Legislature term(s)15th Knesset
Predecessor28th government of Israel
Successor30th government of Israel

The government initially had 26 ministers and 15 deputy ministers, making it the largest in Israeli political history, and resulting in a new $10,000 horseshoe-shaped table having to be installed in the Knesset plenum.[1] There were four Deputy Prime Ministers and eight Ministers without Portfolio during the government's term, during which the total number of ministers rose to 29.[2] Although there had previously been Israeli Arab deputy ministers, with the inclusion of the Druze politician Salah Tarif as Minister without Portfolio, the twenty-ninth government was the first to have a non-Jewish minister.[3]

The government held office until Sharon formed the thirtieth government on 28 February 2003, following Likud's comprehensive victory in the January elections.

Israeli government formation, 2001

6 February 2001-7 March 2001
 
Candidate Ariel Sharon Ehud Barak
Party Likud Labor
Popular vote 1,698,077 1,023,944
Percentage 62.39% 37.61%
Investiture vote - In favor 72
Investiture vote - Against 21

Prime Minister before election

Ehud Barak
Labor

Elected Prime Minister

Ariel Sharon
Likud

Cabinet members

Position Person Party
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Likud
Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres (until 2 November 2002) Labor-Meimad
Silvan Shalom Likud
Natan Sharansky Yisrael BaAliyah
Eli Yishai 1 Shas
Minister of Agriculture Shalom Simhon (until 2 November 2002) Labor–Meimad
Tzipi Livni (from 17 December 2002) Likud
Minister of Communications Reuven Rivlin Likud
Minister of Defense Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (until 2 November 2002) Labor–Meimad
Shaul Mofaz (from 4 November 2002) Not an MK
Minister of Education Limor Livnat Likud
Minister of the Environment Tzachi Hanegbi Likud
Minister of Finance Silvan Shalom Likud
Minister of Foreign Affairs Shimon Peres (until 2 November 2002) Labor–Meimad
Binyamin Netanyahu (from 6 November 2002) Not an MK
Minister of Health Nissim Dahan 1 Shas
Minister of Housing and Construction Natan Sharansky Yisrael BaAliyah
Minister of Immigrant Absorption Ariel Sharon Likud
Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour Dalia Itzik (until 2 November 2002) Labor–Meimad
Ariel Sharon (from 2 November 2002) Likud
Minister of Internal Affairs Eli Yishai 1 Shas
Minister of Internal Security Uzi Landau Likud
Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Eli Suissa 1 Shas
Minister of Justice Meir Sheetrit Likud
Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Shlomo Benizri Shas
Minister of National Infrastructure Avigdor Lieberman (until 14 March 2002) Yisrael Beiteinu
Effi Eitam (from 18 September 2002) Not an MK
Minister of Regional Co-operation Tzipi Livni (until 29 August 2001) Likud
Roni Milo (from 29 August 2001) Centre Party
Minister of Religious Affairs Asher Ohana Not an MK
Minister of Science, Culture and Sport Matan Vilnai Not an MK
Minister of Social Co-ordination Shmuel Avital Not an MK
Minister of Tourism Rehavam Ze'evi (until 17 October 2001)2 National Union
Benny Elon (31 October 2001 - 14 March 2002) National Union
Yitzhak Levy (from 18 September 2002) Not an MK
Minister of Transportation Efraim Sneh (until 2 November 2002) Labor–Meimad
Tzachi Hanegbi (from 15 December 2002) Likud
Minister without Portfolio Ra'anan Cohen (until 18 August 2002) Labor–Meimad
Effi Eitam (8 April - 18 September 2002) Not an MK
David Levy (8 April - 30 July 2002) Gesher
Yitzhak Levy (8 April - 18 September 2002) Not an MK
Tzipi Livni (29 August 2001 - 17 December 2002) Likud
Dan Meridor (from 29 August 2001) Centre Party
Dan Naveh Likud
Salah Tarif (until 29 January 2002) Labor–Meimad
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Yuri Stern (until 14 March 2002) Yisrael Beiteinu
Deputy Minister of Defense Dalia Rabin-Pelossof (until 1 August 2002) New Way
Weizman Shiry (12 August - 2 November 2002) Labor–Meimad
Deputy Minister of Education Meshulam Nahari 1 Shas
Avraham Ravitz (from 16 April 2001) United Torah Judaism
Deputy Minister of Finance Yitzhak Cohen (from 2 May 2001)1 Shas
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Melchior (until 2 November 2002) Labor–Meimad
Deputy Minister of Housing and Construction Meir Porush (from 4 June 2001) United Torah Judaism
Deputy Minister of Immigrant Absorption Yuli-Yoel Edelstein Yisrael BaAliyah
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Eli Ben-Menachem (until 2 November 2002) Labor–Meimad
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs David Azulai (from 2 March 2001)1 Shas
Deputy Minister of Internal Security Gideon Ezra Likud
Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Yitzhak Vaknin (from 2 May 2001)1 Shas
Deputy Minister of National Infrastructure Naomi Blumenthal (until 1 January 2003) Likud
Deputy Minister of Transportation Avraham Yehezkel (until 2 November 2002) Labor–Meimad
Sofa Landver (12 August - 2 November 2002) Labor–Meimad

1 The Shas ministers resigned between 20 and 23 May 2002, but returned to office on 3 June. With the exception of the Jerusalem Affairs portfolio, during their absence, Ariel Sharon took over their positions.

2 Ze'evi was assassinated.

References

  1. Sharon puts security first BBC News, 8 March 2001
  2. Factional and Government Make-Up of the Fifteenth Knesset Knesset website
  3. Saleh Tarif, MK Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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