Weizman, Ezer

Weizman, Ezer
▪ 2006

      Israeli military officer and politician (b. June 15, 1924, Tel Aviv, British-mandated Palestine [now Tel Aviv, Israel]—d. April 24, 2005, Caesarea, Israel), evolved from a hawkish military leader—noted for his guidance of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) to victory in the Six-Day War (1967)—into a peace advocate who played a key role in Israel's historic 1979 treaty with Egypt. He also served as president of Israel (1993–2000). The nephew of Chaim Weizmann, Israel's first president, Weizman (who dropped the second “n” from his name) was a pilot with the British Royal Air Force during World War II. He later helped found the IAF and, as its commander (1958–66), transformed the IAF into a formidable force. He was named chief of military affairs in 1966 and the following year planned a preemptive strike against Arab forces that were preparing to attack Israel. The IAF's devastating air assault ensured Israel's victory and made Weizman a national hero. After leaving the military in 1969, he became a member of the Herut party, a forerunner of Likud, and engineered the Likud victory in 1977 that gave Menachem Begin the prime ministership. As minister of defense (1977–80), Weizman began to campaign for peace. His rapport with Egyptian Pres. Anwar el-Sadat eased the Israeli-Egyptian negotiations that culminated in the Camp David Accords (1978) and the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab country. In the 1980s Weizman switched to the Labour Party and held several cabinet posts until 1990, when he was dismissed for unauthorized meetings with the Palestine Liberation Organization. Weizman, who was noted for his combative behaviour, was twice elected (1993, 1998) to the largely ceremonial post of president but resigned amid allegations of financial wrongdoing.

* * *

▪ president of Israel
born June 15, 1924, Tel Aviv, Palestine [now Tel Aviv–Yafo, Israel]
died April 24, 2005, Caesarea, Israel

      Israeli soldier and politician who was the seventh president of Israel (1993–2000).

      Weizman was the nephew of Israel's first president, Chaim Weizmann (Weizmann, Chaim), and during World War II he served as a pilot in Britain's Royal Air Force. Afterward he became one of the founding officers of the Israel Air Force (IAF), a branch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). In 1958 Weizman was appointed commander in chief of the IAF and set out to transform and modernize it, particularly its strategy and tactics. His meticulous training and detailed preparation laid the foundation for the success of Israel's air strike against Egypt during the Six-Day War of June 1967 (see Arab-Israeli wars).

      In 1966 Weizman was appointed chief of military operations, the second-ranking position in the IDF and the customary stepping-stone to the post of chief of staff. When he learned in 1969 that Prime Minister Golda Meir (Meir, Golda) had vetoed his appointment as chief of staff, Weizman resigned his commission. That same year he joined the Gahal party, a forerunner of the Likud, was elected to the Knesset (parliament), and was nominated as the party's candidate for the Ministry of Transport in a National Unity government. The Gahal soon withdrew from the government, and Weizman briefly retired from active political life after sharp differences with Menachem Begin (Begin, Menachem) over the conduct of the Herut (a party within the Gahal). Weizman returned in 1977 when he organized the highly successful Likud election campaign that gave Begin the premiership and ended 30 years of Labour Party (Israel Labour Party) dominance.

      In 1977 Weizman was named minister of defense, and the following year he played a major role in the peace negotiations with Egypt, which ultimately led to the signing of the Camp David Accords. In 1980 Weizman resigned his cabinet post and for the next four years worked in the business sector. In 1984, however, he founded the political party Yahad. The following year he was named coordinator of Arab affairs but in 1992 resigned from the Knesset. In 1993 he was elected president, a largely ceremonial post, and was reelected in 1998. In 2000, amid allegations of financial wrongdoing, Weizman resigned because of poor health.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • WEIZMAN, EZER — (1924–2005), Israeli air force commander, politician, and seventh president of Israel, member of the Ninth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Knessets. A nephew of chaim weizmann , he was born in Tel Aviv. He learned flying at the Haifa Aviation Club, joined …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Weizman, Ezer — (1924 2005)    A nephew of Chaim Weizmann, who spelled his name with one n to avoid benefiting from the family connection. Born in Tel Aviv on 15 June 1924, he was educated at the Reali School in Haifa and joined the Hagana in 1939. In 1942, he… …   Historical Dictionary of Israel

  • Ezer Weizman — 1978 in Camp David Ezer Weizman (eingedeutscht Eser Weizmann, hebräisch ‏עזר ויצמן‎; * 15. Juni 1924 in Tel Aviv; † 24. April 2005 in Caesarea) war der siebte israelische Präsident (1993 2000). Sein Vorgänger war …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ezer Weizman — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Weizman. Ezer Weizman (עזר ויצמן), est né le 15 juin 1924 à Tel Aviv et décédé le …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ezer Weizman — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Ezer Weizman Ezer Weizman en 1978 7º Presidente de Israel 13 de mayo de 1993 – 13 de julio de …   Wikipedia Español

  • Weizman — Weizman,   Ezer, israelischer Politiker, * Tel Aviv 15. 6. 1924, Neffe von C. Weizmann; Offizier, 1946 48 als Mitglied in der Irgun Zwai Leumi aktiv. 1948 66 hatte er verschiedene Kommandos in der israelischen Luftwaffe inne; 1966 69 war er ihr… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Ezer Weizman — Infobox President | name =עזר ויצמן Ezer Weizman nationality =Israeli small caption =Ezer Weizman in 1978 order =7th President of the State of Israel term start =May 13, 1993 term end =July 13, 2000 predecessor =Chaim Herzog successor =Moshe… …   Wikipedia

  • Ezer Weizmann — Ezer Weizman 1978 in Camp David Eser Weizmann?/ …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Weizman — /ˈvaɪtsmən/ (say vuytsmuhn) noun Ezer, 1924–2005, Israeli air force general and politician, nephew of Chaim Weizmann; president 1993–2000 …  

  • Ezer Weizman — n. (1924 2005) seventh president of Israel, Israeli military officer and politician …   English contemporary dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”