Politicsרחבעם זאבי

Rechavam Ze'evi

Rehavam Ze'evi was an Israeli general and politician who founded the Moledet party and was assassinated in 2001 while serving as Tourism Minister.

1926 to 2001Founding the Moledet partyAdvocating population transferCommanding the Central CommandHis 2001 assassination

Born: 20 June 1926, Jerusalem
Died: 17 October 2001, Jerusalem
Occupation: politician, military personnel, military officer, historian
Party: National Union
Education: Gymnasia Rehavia
Rank: major general
Wars: Yom Kippur War, 1948 Palestine war, Suez Crisis, Six-Day War

Rechavam Ze'evi was born in 1926 in Jerusalem

Ze'evi was born on 20 June 1926 in the Yemin Moshe neighborhood of Jerusalem. His father managed the press and intelligence office of the Jerusalem municipality. He studied at a school in Kibbutz Givat HaShlosha, where he got the nickname "Gandhi", and later at the Hebrew Gymnasium Rehavia.

He joined the Palmach in 1944 and served in the IDF from 1948 to 1974. He commanded the Central Command from 1968 and retired with the rank of Aluf. He returned to service during the Yom Kippur War as special assistant to the Chief of Staff.

In 1974 he became Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's adviser on fighting terrorism, and later also on intelligence. From 1981 he chaired the board of the museum that became the Eretz Israel Museum. In 1988 he founded Moledet, which called for the transfer of Arabs from the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and he entered the Knesset.

He served as minister without portfolio from 1991 to 1992. In 1999 Moledet joined the National Union, and in 2001 he became Tourism Minister. On 17 October 2001 he was shot dead in a Jerusalem hotel by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and Israeli courts later convicted those involved.

Milestones in Rechavam Ze'evi's life

1926
Born in Jerusalem.
1944
Joined the Palmach.
1967
Promoted to the rank of Aluf.
1968
Appointed commander of the Central Command.
1974
Left the IDF and became an adviser to Yitzhak Rabin.
1981
Became chairman of the museum board in Tel Aviv.
1988
Founded Moledet and was elected to the Knesset.
2001
Became Tourism Minister and was assassinated in Jerusalem.

Rechavam Ze'evi held 2 offices between 1988 and 2001

19262001

Knesset member 1988 to 2001
Minister without portfolio 1991 to 1992

Rechavam Ze'evi served in the military

He served in the Palmach and was a platoon commander and Yiftach Brigade intelligence officer in the War of Independence, then served in the IDF until 1974. He commanded the Central Command from 1968 and reached the rank of Aluf.