Vilnai, Matan

(1944- )

   Born in Israel, Vilnai was a career officer in the Israel Defense Forces, serving from 1994 to 1997 as deputy chief of the general staff. Upon retirement from the military (at the rank of general), he joined the One Israel Party and was elected to the 15th Knesset (1999). He was appointed minister of science, culture, and sport (as well as chair of the ministerial committee for Israeli Arab affairs) in the government formed by Ehud Barak in August 1999. He retained the science, culture, and sport portfolio in the Likud-Labor national unity coalition formed by Ariel Sharon in March 2001 but resigned when Labor left the government in October 2002. He was appointed minister without portfolio in the new coalition formed upon Labor's reentry into the Sharon-led government on 10 January 2005. Initially a candidate in the November 2005 Labor Party leadership primary, Vilnai withdrew at the last moment and threw his support behind Shimon Peres, who went on to lose the leadership race to Histadrut leader Amir Peretz. Vilnai was reelected to the 17th Knesset in March 2006 on the Israel Labor Party list. He was appointed deputy defense minister on 2 July 2007.