Ilan Gilon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ilan Gilon
Faction represented in the Knesset
1999–2003	Meretz
2009–2019	Meretz
2019–2020	Democratic Union
2021	Meretz
Personal details
Born	(1956-05-12)12 May 1956 Galați, Romania
Died	1 May 2022 (aged 65) Israel

Ilan Gilon (Hebrew: אִילָן גִּילְאוֹן; born May 12, 1956 – died May 1, 2022) was an important Israeli politician. He was a member of the Knesset, which is like Israel's parliament. He served there for the Meretz party and the Democratic Union group. He was a Knesset member at different times between 1999 and 2021.

Ilan Gilon's Early Life and Education

Ilan Gilon was born in Galați, Romania. When he was only seven months old, he got polio. This illness caused a disability in his leg. At age nine, he moved to Israel with his family. They settled in a city called Ashdod.

Serving His Country with a Disability

When Ilan was 18, he was not required to join the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) because of his disability. However, he really wanted to serve. He worked hard to be allowed to join. At age 24, he finally got to do a short volunteer service. He worked in the IDF's Education and Youth Corps.

Studying and Early Political Steps

Ilan Gilon studied international relations and political science. He went to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Even though he did not finish his studies, he was very active in politics from a young age. He led the youth group for the Mapam party. Later, in 1995, he became the first coordinator for the Meretz Youth group. From 1993 to 1999, he was the deputy mayor of Ashdod. In this role, he was in charge of education for the city.

Ilan Gilon's Time in the Knesset

Ilan Gilon became a member of the Knesset in 1999. The Knesset is where laws are made in Israel. He was part of the Meretz party. He believed strongly in helping people and called his ideas "Orthopedic Socialism." This meant he wanted to fix social problems.

Working for Social Justice

In the Knesset, Ilan Gilon focused on social issues. He was part of many committees. These included groups that looked at the economy, the environment, children's rights, and health. He also worked on problems faced by foreign workers.

During his first time in the Knesset, Ilan Gilon helped pass more than 15 laws. Some important laws he helped create were:

• An update to the social insurance law. This law made rights better for people with disabilities.
• A law that made sure waiters got the minimum wage. This was true even if they earned tips.
• An expansion of the Handicapped rights law. This new part made sure buildings were easier for disabled people to use.

Ilan Gilon was known for standing up for his beliefs. He was the only Meretz member to vote against a government budget. He said it was "anti-social" and would hurt people.

Returning to the Knesset

Ilan Gilon lost his seat in the 2003 elections. After leaving the Knesset, he owned a restaurant. But he returned to politics and won a seat again in 2009. He became the head of the Meretz group in the Knesset. He was seen as one of the top lawmakers for social laws.

Later Years in Politics

In 2012, Ilan Gilon tried to become the leader of the Meretz party. He came in second place. He was re-elected to the Knesset in 2013 and again in 2015. In 2018, he received an award called the Henry Viscardi Achievement Award. This award is given to leaders who help people with disabilities.

In 2019, Ilan Gilon won the most votes in his party's internal elections. He kept his seat in the Knesset in the April 2019 elections. Later that year, Meretz joined with another group called the Democratic Union. Ilan Gilon remained a member of the Knesset as part of this new group.

He briefly lost his seat in 2020 but returned to the Knesset in January 2021. Due to health issues, he did not run for re-election in March 2021.

Ilan Gilon's Family Life

Ilan Gilon was married to Yehudit. They had four children and several grandchildren. He lived in Ashdod, the city where he grew up.

See also

In Spanish: Ilan Gilon para niños