Leader of the Opposition (Israel)

In Israel, the Leader of the Opposition (, Rosh HaOpozitzya) is the politician who leads the Official Opposition in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. The Leader of the Opposition is, by convention, the leader of the largest political party in the Knesset that is not in (or supports) the government.

History

Informal role, until 2000 Until 2000, the role of the Opposition Leader was not an official position, but rather an honorary role. The Leader of the Opposition was the leader of the largest party not in government.

Even with the absence of a law defining the role of the Opposition Leader, it was customary for the Prime Minister to hold regular meetings with the leader of the largest opposition party. However, this was done only at the prerogative of the Prime Minister.

Formalised role, post-2000 In early 2000, two bills to amend the Opposition Leader's status were submitted to the Knesset, one by the government and one by MK Uzi Landau. The bills were merged into one amendment, and on 17 July 2000, the Knesset approved Amendment 8 to the "Knesset Law" of 1994, adding chapter 6 that outlined the role of the Leader of the Opposition. The law stipulates the selection of the Opposition Leader, the method of their replacement, regulates their ceremonial role in various official events, and obliges the prime minister to update them once a month. The law also stipulates that the Opposition Leader's salary will be determined by Knesset committee, and shall not be lower than a salary of a Cabinet minister.

List of Opposition leaders

Leaders of the largest opposition party Name PortraitParty Term start Term end Government(s)opposed Prime minister(s)opposed Knesset 1 Meir Ya'ari Mapam 10 March 1949 8 October 1951 1 David Ben-Gurion 1st 2 2 Peretz Bernstein General Zionists 8 October 1951 24 December 1952 3 2nd (1) Meir Ya'ari Mapam 24 December 1952 29 June 1955 4 5 Moshe Sharett (2) Peretz Bernstein General Zionists 29 June 1955 3 November 1955 6 3 Menachem Begin Herut 3 November 1955 5 June 1967 7 David Ben-Gurion 3rd 8 9 4th 10 5th 11 Levi Eshkol 12 Gahal 13 6th 4 Yitzhak-Meir Levin Agudat Yisrael 5 June 1967 6 August 1970 14 Golda Meir 15 7th (3) Menachem Begin Gahal 6 August 1970 21 June 1977 Likud 16 8th 17 Yitzhak Rabin 5 Shimon Peres Alignment 21 June 1977 13 September 1984 18 Menachem Begin 9th 19 10th 20 Yitzhak Shamir 6 Yuval Ne'eman Tehiya-Tzomet 13 September 1984 22 December 1988 21 Shimon Peres 11th 22 Yitzhak Shamir Tehiya 7 Shulamit Aloni Ratz 22 December 1988 15 March 1990 23 12th (5) Shimon Peres Alignment 15 March 1990 20 February 1992 24 Labor Party 8 Yitzhak Rabin 20 February 1992 13 July 1992 9 Yitzhak Shamir Likud 13 July 1992 24 March 1993 25 Yitzhak Rabin 13th 10 Benjamin Netanyahu 24 March 1993 18 June 1996 26 Shimon Peres Likud-Gesher-Tzomet (5) Shimon Peres Labor Party 18 June 1996 1 July 1997 27 Benjamin Netanyahu 14th 11 Ehud Barak Labor Party 1 July 1997 6 July 1999 One Israel 12 Ariel Sharon Likud 6 July 1999 30 July 2000 28 Ehud Barak 15th

Designated Opposition Leaders After Amendment 8 to the "Knesset law" of 1994 was passed, the Leader of the Opposition became an official position held by the leader of the largest faction within the opposition.

Name PortraitParty Term start Term end Government(s)opposed Prime minister(s)opposed Knesset 12 Ariel Sharon Likud 31 July 2000 7 March 2001 28 Ehud Barak 15th 13 Yossi Sarid Meretz 7 March 2001 4 November 2002 29 Ariel Sharon 14Binyamin Ben-Eliezer Labor Party 4 November 2002 12 March 2003 30 16th 15 Amram Mitzna Labor-Meimad 12 March 2003 13 May 2003 16 Dalia Itzik 13 May 2003 25 June 2003 (5) Shimon Peres 25 June 2003 10 January 2005 17 Yosef Lapid Shinui 10 January 2005 23 November 2005 18 Amir Peretz Labor-Meimad 23 November 2005 16 January 2006 (10) Benjamin Netanyahu Likud 16 January 2006 17 April 2006 17 April 2006 31 March 2009 31 Ehud Olmert 17th19 Tzipi Livni Kadima 6 April 2009 2 April 2012 32 Benjamin Netanyahu 18th 20 Shaul Mofaz Kadima 2 April 2012 9 May 201221 Shelly Yachimovich Labor Party 9 May 2012 23 July 2012(20) Shaul Mofaz Kadima 23 July 2012 5 February 2013(21) Shelly Yachimovich Labor Party 5 February 2013 25 November 2013 33 19th22 Isaac Herzog 25 November 2013 14 May 2015 Zionist Union 14 May 2015 31 July 201834 20th(19) Tzipi Livni Zionist Union 1 August 2018 1 January 2019(21) Shelly Yachimovich Labor Party 1 January 2019 30 April 2019 21st22ndVacant de jure, Benny Gantz de facto 30 April 2019 17 May 202023 Yair Lapid Yesh Atid 17 May 2020 6 April 2021 35 23rd (10) Benjamin Netanyahu Likud 28 June 2021 29 December 2022 36 Naftali BennettYair Lapid 24th(23) Yair Lapid Yesh Atid 2 January 2023 Present 37 Benjamin Netanyahu 25th

See also Shadow Cabinet of Tommy Lapid References

External links Chapter 6: Leader of the Opposition, The Knesset law of 1994 Wikisource