האתר של השר מיכאל איתן

10 things you didn’t know about Michael Eitan (and one real bonus):

1. In January 2008, during the height of the Kassam attacks on Sderot, MK Michael Eitan went to live in Sderot to encourage the residents and show solidarity with them. But merely living there was not enough for him and he began a campaign to raise money from the private and public sectors. The “Sderot Shelanu” project was set up from these donations.
2. Received awards from the Ometz Movement for ethical and good governance, and the Knight of Quality Government award from the Oggen Association for Ethics and for the Eradication of Corruption in Israel.
3. He is a veteran and outstanding parliamentarian with vast experience in parliamentary battles. During one of these, in 1992, against authorization of the State budget, he made the longest speech on record in the Knesset, that continued for over 10 hours.
4. At the Knesset, he is identified with a group of MK’s who led a process to improve the functioning of the Knesset and Knesset Members. Their achievements have included: prohibiting MK’s from holding other paid employment, setting up public committees to determine MK’s salaries and working conditions, and suspension of MK’s who have been indicted.
5. He initiated a reform on methods of party financing and for years has been leading the struggle on the issue of the relationship between wealth and government.
6. During his term in the government he energetically promoted the fuller integration of internet technology into the public sector. He was active in instituting reform in the Government’s R&D policy and made a significant contribution to the Israel’s involvement in the R&D programmes of the European Union.
7. He initiated and participated in the establishment of the Kochav Ya’ir community settlement. Following this he initiated the “Seven Stars” programme, which led to the establishment of another 6 community settlements.
8. During the 16th Knesset, when he served as Chair of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, Michael Eitan instigated the process of establishing a Constitution for Israel which resulted in a Knesset resolution to this effect.
9. During the 17th Knesset, MK Eitan opened a liaison office for former Ethiopians in Israel and promoted legislation to help them integrate into Israeli society.
10. As Minister of Science, he promoted programmes to help integrate weaker sections of the population in the information revolution. These included the “Lehava” programme to reduce the digital gap in Israeli society and today “Lehava” is operating at 15 centres in poor neighbourhoods and development towns around the country.
11. He devotes particular attention to reducing the digital gap. This has included efforts to reduce the costs charged by Internet suppliers, establishment of community Internet centres to allow thousands of schoolchildren in poor neighbourhoods and small towns to get to know and use the Internet, and promoting direct Government services for citizens on the Internet.

More about Minister Michael Eitan:

Michael Eitan was born in 1944 in Tel Aviv. He studied law at Tel Aviv University and served as a non-commissioned officer in the IDF. Active in public affairs, Eitan has served as chairman of the Herut Young Guard and as a member of the Herut Central Committee, as well as founder and director of the Kochav Yair settlement project and initiator of the “Shivat Kochavim” community settlement project.

Eitan has been a Member of Knesset since 1984, serving on the Finance Committee, the Economic Affairs Committee, the Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee, the State Control Committee, the Committee on Education and Culture, the House Committee, the Science and Technology Committee, and has chaired the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.

From 1992-96, he was Head of the Opposition Bloc in the Knesset and substitute head of the Likud Knesset faction. As a Member of the 14th Knesset (1996-97), as Chairman of the Knesset Sub-committee on Communication and Information he initiated the Knesset Internet site. He also served as head of the Likud-Gesher-Tsomet Knesset faction and the coalition.

Michael Eitan served as Minister of Science from July 1997 until July 1998, and until July 1999, as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. In March 2009 he was appointed Minister of Improvement of Government Services.

Michael Eitan is the father of three and lives in the southern town of Sderot.