Ami Ayalon
Ami Ayalon is the former head of Israel's Shin Bet security service.
Background and education
Ayalon was born in Tiberias, Israel in 1945. He received a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Bar Ilan University in 1980 and an M.A. in Public Administration from Harvard University in 1992.[1]
According to a biographical note on the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs website:
- Ayalon served his entire military service in the Israel Navy, from his enlistment in 1963, volunteering for the navy commando unit. In 1969, Ayalon was decorated with the Medal of Valor, Israel's highest award. In 1979, Ayalon was appointed commander of the navy commando. Receiving the rank of admiral, he served as commander of the Israel Navy from 1992-1996.[1]
Shin Bet
From 1996-2000 Ayalon served as Director of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet).[1]
According to Tanya Reinhart, Ayalon was one of a number of senior intelligence officers who supported the Oslo peace process.[2]
Politics
According to a biographical note on the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs website:
- A Member of Knesset since April 2006, he served as a member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense, Ethics, State Control, Labor, Welfare, & Health, and Foreign Workers committees. Ami Ayalon served as Minister without Portfolio from September 2007 until March 2009.[1]
Med Bridge
Ayalon is co-founder with Palestinian Sari Nusseibeh of the People's Voice peace initiative, which calls for the establishment of a de-militarised Palestinian state on Israel's 1967 borders.[3]
References
- ↑ a b c d Ami Ayalon, MK, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accessed 9 May 2009.
- ↑ Tanya Reinhart, Israel: The Military in Charge?, OpenDemocracy, 24 May 2002.
- ↑ People's Voice, Med Bridge Strategy Center, accessed 9 May 2009.
