Milo, Ronnie

(1949- )

   Born in Tel Aviv, Milo was educated at the faculty of law of Tel Aviv University. He was first elected to the Knesset on the Likud Party list in 1977. He became minister of ecology and environmental protection in the government established in December 1988 and assumed the position of minister of police in the government established in June 1990. Mayor of Tel Aviv from November 1993 to 1999, in May 1998, Milo announced his candidacy for prime minister as the leader of a new centrist political movement called Atid, which was committed to "bridging gaps" among Israelis on political, religious, and social grounds.

   Milo subsequently joined with Dan Meridor, Yitzhak Mordechai, and former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Amnon Lipkin-Shahak in forming the new Center Party that won six seats in the 15th Knesset (1999), with Milo returning to the Knesset. From August 2000 to January 2001, Milo served as minister of health under Ehud Barak and from August 2001 to February 2003, as minister for regional cooperation under Ariel Sharon. When the Center Party dissolved during the 15th Knesset, Milo returned to the Likud Party but failed to receive a secure slot on the party's slate for the election to the 16th Knesset in 2003.