Geulah Cohen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Geulah Cohen
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| Faction represented in the Knesset | |
| 1974–1979 | Likud |
| 1979–1992 | Tehiya |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 December 1925 Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine |
| Died | 18 December 2019 (aged 93) |
Geulah Cohen (Hebrew: גאולה כהן; 25 December 1925 – 18 December 2019) was an important Israeli politician and activist. She started the Tehiya political party. She won the Israel Prize in 2003, which is a very high honor in Israel. From 1974 to 1992, she was a member of the Knesset, which is like Israel's parliament. She first joined the Likud party, but later switched to Tehiya in 1979.
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Life and Early Career
Geulah Cohen was born in Tel Aviv. This was during a time when the area was called Mandatory Palestine, before Israel became an independent country. Her family had roots in Yemen, Morocco, and Turkey. She studied to become a teacher and also earned a master's degree in several subjects, including Jewish Studies and Literature, from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
In 1942, she joined a group called the Irgun. The next year, she moved to another group called Lehi. These groups worked to help Israel become an independent country. Geulah was a radio announcer for Lehi. In 1946, British authorities arrested her while she was broadcasting in Tel Aviv. She managed to escape before her trial but was caught again. She was sentenced to prison but escaped again in 1947. She also edited a newspaper for Lehi called Youth Front. After Israel became independent in 1948, she wrote for a magazine called Sulam.
Geulah Cohen married Emanuel Hanegbi, who was also part of Lehi. Later, from 1961 to 1973, she worked as a writer and editor for a big Israeli newspaper called Maariv. She was encouraged to work with young people in Israel. Geulah Cohen passed away on December 18, 2019, just a week before her 94th birthday.
Political Journey
In 1972, Geulah Cohen joined the Herut party, which later became part of the Likud party. She was elected to the Knesset in 1973 and again in 1977.
She strongly disagreed with the Camp David Accords, which was a peace agreement that involved Israel returning the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. She felt so strongly about it that she was even removed from the Knesset during a debate about the deal. Because of her strong beliefs, Geulah Cohen and another politician, Moshe Shamir, left Likud in 1979. They started a new right-wing party called Tehiya. This new party strongly supported Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Geulah Cohen kept her seat in the Knesset in the elections of 1981, 1984, and 1988. In 1990, she became the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology. She lost her seat in the Knesset in the 1992 elections. After that, she rejoined the Likud party and continued to be active in right-wing politics. Her son, Tzachi Hanegbi, also became a member of the Knesset for Likud.
Her Strong Beliefs
Geulah Cohen was very firm in her belief that Israel should not give up any land. She spoke out against the Camp David Accords in 1978 and also against Israel's plan to leave the Gaza Strip in 2005. She was known for being a very determined and passionate advocate for her political goals.
Awards and Special Recognition
- In 2003, Geulah Cohen received the prestigious Israel Prize. This award is given for a person's lifetime achievements and their special contributions to Israeli society and the country.
- In 2007, she was given the Yakir Yerushalayim award, which means "Worthy Citizen of Jerusalem," from the city of Jerusalem.
Books She Wrote
- Story of a Warrior (1961; written in Hebrew)
- Woman of Violence: Memoirs of a Young Terrorist, 1943–1948 (1966; her life story)
- Historical Meeting (1986; written in Hebrew)
- Ein li koah lehiyot ayefa ("No Strength To Be Tired"; 2008)
