Avraham Shochat Israeli politician, civil engineer and statesman Date of Birth: 14.06.1936 Country: Israel

1. Early Life and Education
2. Mayoral Career and Political Beginnings
3. Knesset Career
4. First Term as Finance Minister
5. Second Term as Finance Minister and Infrastructure Minister
6. Post-Political Career and Death
7. Legacy
8. Personal Life and Death

Early Life and Education

Abraham Shohat was born in Tel Aviv in June 1936, the only son of Ukrainian and Polish immigrants. His father, Zvi, was a construction contractor whose firm later became part of Solel Boneh. Abraham's childhood nickname, "Baiga" (meaning "chick" in Yiddish), was bestowed upon him at a young age. After serving in the Nahal paratrooper unit, he earned a degree in civil engineering from the Technion in Haifa.

Mayoral Career and Political Beginnings

When the development town of Arad was established, Shohat played an active role and was elected to its first residents' council. In 1967, at the age of 31, he became the chairman of its local council, leading the Ma'arach faction. Shohat was re-elected mayor of Arad three more times, most recently in 1983 when his list received 88% of the vote. Both of his parents passed away and were buried in Arad.

Knesset Career

In May 1988, Shohat entered the Knesset, replacing Aharon Harel. He was subsequently re-elected five times, representing Ma'arach, the Labor Party, and Ehud Barak's One Israel. In the 12th Knesset, Shohat chaired the Economics and Finance Committees.

First Term as Finance Minister

Upon the formation of Yitzhak Rabin's government in 1992, Shohat was appointed Minister of Finance. He served in this role for four years, during which time the number of jobs in Israel increased by 400,000, unemployment dropped from 11.6% to 6.5%, and the education budget increased by 70%. In a 1995 poll, Shohat's performance as Finance Minister received 70% public support. However, the budget deficit also grew, public sector salaries increased excessively, and cheap imported goods flooded the domestic market.

Second Term as Finance Minister and Infrastructure Minister

Shohat was appointed Finance Minister for a second time in Ehud Barak's government in 1999. He faced difficulties working with Bank of Israel governor Jacob Frenkel, whose conservative monetary policies had been supported by Netanyahu. Shohat and Barak believed that Frenkel's high interest rates, while successful in curbing inflation, were also hindering Israel's economic growth, leading to Frenkel's eventual resignation in early 2000. In the second half of 2000, Shohat was given the additional portfolio of Minister of National Infrastructure. However, Barak's government lost power shortly after.

Post-Political Career and Death

In the fall of 2005, Abraham Shohat announced his intention to retire from politics. He delayed his resignation as a Knesset member for several months to prevent the balance on the Judges Selection Committee from shifting: had he resigned, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni would have been able to appoint a right-wing MK to the committee, ensuring a majority in favor of Professor Ruth Gavison's election to the Supreme Court. Shohat retired from the Knesset on January 11, 2006.

Legacy

After his retirement from politics, Shohat joined the boards of directors of several major Israeli companies, including Bank Mizrahi and Chemicals of Israel. In 2006, he was appointed chairman of the public commission on the state of higher education in Israel. The commission's 2007 report proposed a number of measures to prevent the "brain drain" from Israel, including a substantial increase in funding for Israeli universities. However, the Israeli government declined to increase spending on higher education to the extent recommended by the report.

Personal Life and Death

Abraham Shohat lived in Tel Aviv, where he was awarded honorary citizenship in 2009. He had three children with his wife, Tama (the daughter of former Prime Minister Levi Eshkol). He died on February 28, 2024.