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Zehava Gal-OnIsraeli politician
Date of Birth: .
Country:  Israel |
Content:
- Early Life and Military Service
- Education and Political Beginnings
- Leader of Meretz
- Founder of B'Tselem
- Family and Legacy
Early Life and Military Service
Zehava Gal-On was born Zlata Sznipitski on January 4, 1956, in Vilnius, Lithuania. Her family emigrated to Poland in 1957 and then to Israel in 1960. Gal-On served in the Israel Defense Forces paratrooper unit and was discharged with the rank of sergeant.
Education and Political Beginnings
Gal-On earned a degree in special education and Hebrew from Beit Berl College and a second degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She entered the Knesset in 1999 as a member of the Meretz party and served on various parliamentary committees. In 2000, she became the head of the Knesset investigative committee on the trafficking of women.
Leader of Meretz
Gal-On was elected leader of Meretz in 2012, succeeding Haim Oron. Founder of the party, Shulamit Aloni, praised her as "brazen and daring." Gal-On led the party in the 2013 and 2015 elections.
Founder of B'Tselem
Gal-On is a co-founder and former executive director of the human rights group B'Tselem. She advocates for Palestinian rights and opposes the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Family and Legacy
Gal-On is fluent in Hebrew, Yiddish, English, and Russian. Her maternal uncle, Benjamin Nadel, was a notable medievalist historian.
