Amir Ohana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amir Ohana
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Ohana in 2023
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| Ministerial roles | |
| 2019–2020 | Minister of Justice |
| 2020–2021 | Minister of Public Security |
| Faction represented in the Knesset | |
| 2015–2020 | Likud |
| 2021– | Likud |
| Other roles | |
| 2022– | Speaker of the Knesset |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 March 1976 Beersheba, Israel |
Amir Ohana (Hebrew: אָמִיר אוֹחָנָה; born 15 March 1976) is an Israeli lawyer and politician. Since 2022, he has served as the Speaker of the Knesset. The Knesset is Israel's parliament, and the Speaker is the person in charge of its sessions.
Ohana is a member of the Likud political party. He has held important government jobs, including Minister of Justice and Minister of Public Security. He was the first openly gay member of the Knesset from a right-wing party. He was also the first openly gay man to become a minister in the Israeli government and the first to be elected Speaker of the Knesset.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Amir Ohana was born in Beersheba, Israel. His parents, Meir and Esther Ohana, were Jewish immigrants who moved to Israel from Morocco. He was the third son in his family. During his childhood, his family lived in Lehavim and later moved to Rishon LeZion.
After finishing high school, Ohana joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He served for six years in the Military Police, where he investigated road accidents. He also served as a commander at the Karni crossing in the Gaza Strip and became an officer. After his regular service, he worked for six years in the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service.
Ohana then decided to study law at the College of Management Academic Studies. After getting his law degree, he worked for the Israeli Justice Ministry. For ten years, he worked as a lawyer specializing in criminal law.
Political Career
Ohana became involved in politics with the Likud party. He was the chairman of Likud Pride, a group within the party.
Entering the Knesset
In the 2015 elections, Ohana was on the list of candidates for the Knesset. At first, he did not win a seat. However, he entered the Knesset on December 27, 2015, to replace another member who had resigned.
During his first term, he was a member of important committees, including the Finance Committee and the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. He also led a group that focused on Israel's gun-carrying policies.
Serving as a Minister
After the April 2019 elections, Ohana was appointed Minister of Justice. This made him the first openly gay person to be a minister in Israel's government. He was seen as a strong supporter of the prime minister at the time, Benjamin Netanyahu.
In May 2020, he became the Minister of Public Security in the new government. He held this role for about a year. In July 2020, he briefly resigned from the Knesset under a rule called the Norwegian Law, which allows ministers to give up their parliament seat to another party member. He returned to the Knesset in the 2021 elections.
Becoming Speaker of the Knesset
On December 29, 2022, Ohana was elected Speaker of the Knesset. This was a historic moment, as he became the first openly gay person to hold this powerful position. As Speaker, he is responsible for managing the Knesset's meetings and representing the parliament.
Views and Opinions
Ohana supports making it easier for citizens in Israel to get licenses to carry firearms. He believes that having more armed citizens can help prevent and respond to terror attacks more quickly.
He is a board member of Tadmor, a group within the Likud party that focuses on loyalty to the Land of Israel.
In interviews, Ohana has made comments about Muslims that some people found controversial.
Personal Life
Amir Ohana and his husband, Alon Hadad, have two children, a son and a daughter. Their children were born using a surrogate mother in the state of Oregon in the United States. The family lives in Tel Aviv.
See also
In Spanish: Amir Ohana para niños
