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Roni Bar-OnIsraeli politician
Date of Birth: 02.06.1948
Country:  Israel |
Content:
- Early Life and Military Service
- Legal Career
- Pre-Political Career
- Entry into Politics
- Ministerial Positions
- Later Career
- Personal Life
Early Life and Military Service
Born in Tel Aviv shortly after Israel's independence in 1948, Meir Sheetrit served his mandatory military service and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel before studying law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Legal Career
As an advocate, Sheetrit became a judge on the Military Appeals Court in the West Bank. In 1997, he was appointed Attorney General but resigned within 48 hours amid controversy over the "Bar-on-Hebron Affair," where accusations were made that top officials had recommended Sheetrit for the position based on personal ties.
Pre-Political Career
Prior to his political career, Sheetrit held positions as Chairman of the Council for the Organization of Sports Gambling (1998-2001), member of the Central Committee of the Israel Bar Association (1995-2003) and the Jerusalem Regional Committee of the Israeli Bar Association, as well as member of the Council for Administrative Tribunals, the Consultative Commission for Government Companies, and the Commission for State Defenders. Additionally, he was Chairman of the Beitar Jerusalem Committee and the Israel Football Association Committee.
Entry into Politics
Sheetrit entered politics upon his election to the Knesset in 2003 on the Likud list. He served as Chairman of the House Committee and was a member of the Committees on the Constitution, Law and Justice, and State Control, as well as an alternate member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. He also belonged to the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into Violence in Sports and the Environmental Lobby.
Ministerial Positions
When Ariel Sharon left Likud to form Kadima, Sheetrit followed and was appointed Minister of National Infrastructure and Minister of Science and Technology for the final three months of the Knesset term. After the 2006 elections, Ehud Olmert appointed him Minister of Internal Affairs. He was also considered for Minister of Justice following Haim Ramon's conviction for sexual harassment but withdrew his candidacy in February 2007. As part of a cabinet reshuffle in July 2007, Sheetrit was appointed Minister of Finance despite his lack of economic experience, navigating Israel's economy through the tumult of the global economic crisis.
Later Career
In the 2009 elections, Sheetrit retained his seat after placing fifth on the Kadima list but lost his cabinet position as a Likud-led coalition formed the government. As a prominent figure in the Knesset's opposition, Sheetrit was elected Chairman of the Knesset State Control Committee in July 2011. In a coalition reshuffle, he was subsequently elected head of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. On December 5, 2012, in the run-up to the 2013 elections, Sheetrit announced he would not stand for re-election.
