Politicsבן-ציון קשת

Ben-Zion Keshet

Ben-Zion Keshet was an Israeli politician and Irgun member who served in the Knesset from 1969 to 1977.

1914 to 1984Irgun staff memberCo-founding HerutKnesset Deputy Speaker for Gahal

Died: 8 August 1984, Israel
Occupation: politician
Party: Gahal

Ben-Zion Keshet was born in 1914 in Riga

Ben-Zion Keshet was born in Riga in 1914 under the name Ben-Zion Katzenelenbogen. He studied at a Hebrew school in his home city. He was active in Betar and helped found its branch in Estonia in 1932.

He moved to the Land of Israel in 1934 and joined Betar's enlistment companies and its governing council. From 1939 to 1942 he sat on the central committee of the National Labour Federation. He joined the Irgun, served on its staff from 1942 to 1943, and was exiled to Eritrea in 1944.

He returned in 1948 and was among the founders of Herut, where he headed the municipal department. He chaired the Public Council for Soviet Jewry. In 1969 he was elected to the Knesset for Gahal and later served as a Deputy Speaker.

In October 1973 he struck Meir Vilner and removed him from the podium after Vilner blamed Gahal for the Yom Kippur War. He did not run again in 1977. He later headed the Jabotinsky Institute and died on 8 August 1984.