Yitzhak Moda'i
| Yitzhak Moda'i | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Date of birth | 17 January 1926 |
| Place of birth | Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine |
| Date of death | 22 May 1998 (aged 72) |
| Knessets | 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 |
| Faction represented in Knesset | |
| 1974–1990 | Likud |
| 1990–1992 | New Liberal Party |
| Ministerial roles | |
| 1977–1981 | Minister of Energy & Infrastructure |
| 1979–1980 | Minister of Communications |
| 1981–1982 | Minister without Portfolio |
| 1982–1984 | Minister of Energy & Infrastructure |
| 1984–1986 | Minister of Finance |
| 1986 | Minister of Justice |
| 1986–1988 | Minister without Portfolio |
| 1988–1990 | Minister of Economics & Planning |
| 1990–1992 | Minister of Finance |
Yitzhak Moda'i (Hebrew: יצחק מודעי, 17 January 1926 – 22 May 1998) was an Israeli politician who served five terms in the Knesset for Likud and then the New Liberal Party over the course of a 20-year career.
Born Yitzhak Madzovitch in Tel Aviv during the Mandate era, Moda'i attended High School in Tel Aviv before studying at the Technion in Haifa, later becoming chairman of the Technion Graduates Association in 1961. He went on to study law at the Tel Aviv branch of Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and law and economics at the London School of Economics.
In 1961 he joined the Liberal Party, and was a member of its directorate between 1965 and 1968. From 1969 until 1973 he served as a member of Herzliya's municipal council.
He was first elected to the Knesset on the Likud list (the Liberal Party had become a faction within Likud, alongside Herut). He was re-elected in 1977, and served as Minister of National Infrastructure in Menachem Begin's first government, also holding the post of Minister of Communications between 15 January 1979 and 22 December 1980. In Begin's cabinet as Energy Minister, Modai was considered to be one of the "hawkish" hardliners. In December 1979 in his role as Energy Minister, Modai announced the Israeli government's intent to take over the Arab-run East Jerusalem Electric Company, which was viewed as one of the last existing symbols of Palestinian autonomy. The move, which appeared to have political motives in addition to the officially stated ones, brought immediate condemnation from Palestinian leaders. In May 1980, cabinet post disagreements, including that of Modai, imperiled the government coalition. Begin nominated Modai for Foreign Minister, but the Democratic Movement protested that Modai was unqualified and six members would vote against it. Then the Liberals, who controlled 13 seats, said they would bring down the government, thereby forcing new elections, if Modai was not confirmed. Begin stalled a collapse by serving as his own defense minister.
...
Wikipedia