Avraham Burg Former member and speaker of the Knesset, chairman of the Jewish Agency. Date of Birth: 19.01.1955 Country: Israel

1. Early Life and Family
2. Education and Military Service
3. Political Activism
4. Knesset and Government Service
5. Speaker of the Knesset
6. Controversial Views
7. Later Years

Early Life and Family

Born in the Rehavia neighborhood of Jerusalem, Avraham Burg's father, Rabbi Yosef Burg, immigrated from Dresden to Palestine in 1939 and became a prominent politician in the first Knesset. His mother, Rivka, was born in Hebron and survived the 1929 Arab pogrom.

Education and Military Service

After completing his army service as a lieutenant in the Paratroopers Brigade, Burg pursued a degree in sociology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Political Activism

By the early 1980s, Burg had become politically active, aligning himself with the left-wing Peace Now movement. He was wounded in a hand grenade attack on an anti-war demonstration in Jerusalem in 1983.

Knesset and Government Service

In 1988, Burg was elected to the Knesset for the Ma'arach party. He served in the Knesset during the 12th, 13th, 15th, and 16th sessions. In 1995, he became Chairman of the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency.

Speaker of the Knesset

From 1999 to 2003, Burg served as Speaker of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.

Controversial Views

In 2003, Burg published an article in The Guardian titled "The End of Zionism," calling for an immediate withdrawal from the Palestinian territories. This sparked widespread criticism.

In 2007, he suggested repealing the Law of Return, arguing that "defining Israel as a Jewish state is a recipe for its demise. A Jewish state is dynamite." Facing backlash, he clarified his position, stating that Israel should be defined as a "state of Jews" rather than a "Jewish state."

Later Years

In April 2008, Burg expressed support for the newly formed J Street organization in the United States. Today, he resides in the village of Nettaf with his wife, Yael, and six children.