Politicsאריה בהיר

Aryeh Bahir

Aryeh Bahir was an Israeli politician who served in the Knesset for Mapai, Rafi, the Labor Party and the Alignment between 1949 and 1969.

1906 to 1970Founding kibbutz AfikimKnesset member for Mapai and RafiLeading the Netzah youth movement

Born: 1 May 1906, Odesa
Died: 13 September 1970, Israel
Occupation: politician
Party: Rafi

Aryeh Bahir was born in 1906 in Odesa

Aryeh Bahir was born Aryeh Geller in Odessa, then part of the Russian Empire, in 1906. He studied at the Hebrew Gymnasium and Polytechnic in his home city. He was a member of Hashomer Hatzair.

He moved to Mandatory Palestine in 1924 and helped found kibbutz Afikim in 1932. He was active in the HaKibbutz HaMeuhad movement and sat on the board of Solel Boneh. He co-founded and led the Netzah youth faction and was close to David Ben-Gurion.

Bahir joined Mapai and entered the Knesset in 1949. He lost his seat in 1951, returned in 1955 and lost it again in 1959. In 1952 he served as secretary of Ihud HaKvutzot VeHaKibbutzim during the split dispute at Ein Harod.

In 1965 he joined Ben-Gurion's new Rafi party. He entered the Knesset on 20 February 1967 in place of Yizhar Smilansky, and Rafi later merged into the Labor Party and the Alignment. He lost his seat in the 1969 elections and died in 1970.