Sarid, Yossi

(1940- )

   Born in Rehovot, he worked as a journalist and then drifted into politics. He shifted from the Labor-Alignment to the Citizens' Rights and Peace Movement (CRM) after the 1984 election to protest Labor's participation with Likud in the Government of National Unity. A founder of the Meretz/Democratic Israel coalition, he participated in the Labor-led governing coalition between 1992 and 1996, serving as environment minister from January 1993 to June 1996. As a government minister, he played an increasingly active part in negotiations with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). He became leader of the CRM and Meretz upon the retirement of Shulamit Aloni prior to the 1996 election. Under Sarid's leadership, Meretz won 9 seats in the 14th Knesset (1996) and 10 seats in the 15th Knesset (1999). On 6 July 1999, Sarid was appointed minister of education in the government headed by Prime Minister Ehud Barak. He resigned as Meretz leader following the 2003 Knesset election, when the party won only 6 seats, but he retained his seat in the Knesset. In December 2005, Sarid announced his determination to retire from party politics and did not stand for election in the vote for the 17th Knesset in March 2006.

   See also Political parties.