Events in the year 1961 in Israel.

Incumbents

* Prime Minister of Israel – David Ben-Gurion ( Mapai) * President of Israel –

Yitzhak Ben-Zvi Yitzhak Ben-Zvi ( he, יִצְחָק בֶּן־צְבִי‎ ''Yitshak Ben-Tsvi''; 24 November 188423 April 1963) was a historian, Labor Zionism, Labor Zionist leader and the longest-serving President of Israel. Biography Born in Poltava in the ...

* President of the Supreme Court –

Yitzhak Olshan Yitzhak Olshan ( he, יצחק אולשן, February 19, 1895 – February 5, 1983) was an Israeli jurist and the second President of the Supreme Court of Israel from 1954 to 1965. Biography Olshan was born in Kaunas in the Russian Empire (now ...

Chief of General Staff The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) is a post in many armed forces ( militaries), the head of the military staff. List * Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (United States) * Chief of the General Staff (Abkhazia) * Chief of General Staff (Af ...

–

Haim Laskov Haim Laskov ( he, חיים לסקוב; born 1919, Barysaw, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic – 8 December 1982) was an Israeli public figure and the fifth Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. Biography Haim Laskov was born in Bary ...

until 1 January,

Tzvi Tzur Tzvi Tzur ( he, צבי צור, also transliterated Zvi Tsur, 1923 – 28 December 2004) was an Israeli officer who served as the IDF's 6th Chief of Staff (1961–1963). Biography Early life Tzur was born in the Zaslav in the Soviet Union (now ...

* Government of Israel – 9th Government of Israel until 2 November, 10th Government of Israel

Events

Adolf Eichmann takes notes during his trial USHMM 65268

* 1 January –

is appointed as the 6th

Chief of Staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...

of the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...

. * 11 January – The ''Pisces'', a yacht carrying Moroccan Jews to Israel, capsized off the coast of Algeciras, Spain, drowning the 40 passengers and all but 3 of the crew. The ship's captain survived. * 5 July – The first Israeli rocket, '' Shavit 2'', is launched. * 11 April –

Adolf Eichmann Otto Adolf Eichmann ( ,"Eichmann"
''

Jerusalem. Eichmann is indicted on 15 criminal charges, including crimes against humanity, crimes against the Jewish people and membership in an outlawed organization. The trial is the subject of a great deal of international controversy and creates huge international interest. * 22 May – Population Census: 2,179,491 inhabitants in Israel. * 20 June – Ten weeks into his war crimes trial, the prosecution having rested,

Adolf Eichmann Otto Adolf Eichmann ( ,"Eichmann"
''

Bible. * July – The

1961 Maccabiah Games The 6th Maccabiah Games were held in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1961, with 1,100 athletes from 27 countries competing in 18 sports. The Games were officially opened in an Opening Ceremony on August 29, 1961, in Ramat Gan Stadium by Israeli President Yit ...

are held. * 5 July – The first Israeli rocket, '' Shavit 2'', was launched. At 4:41 am, the rocket was launched "from a secret installation on the Mediterranean". * 14 August – The trial of

Adolf Eichmann Otto Adolf Eichmann ( ,"Eichmann"
''

Israel after 73 days, and the three judge panel began deliberating the evidence. * 15 August – elections were held for the 120 seats in the fifth Knesset. The Mapai Party, led by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, lost five seats, retaining 42, with the Herut Party second with 17.; * 2 November – Israel's Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion received approval to form a new coalition government, with the Knesset approving a vote of confidence, 63–46. * 28 November – After Morocco's King Hasssan II agreed to allow the Arab nation's Jewish minority to leave, the first group 105 Jews was allowed to fly out to Israel. By the end of the year, 11,478 had left, and over the next two years, the 85,000 members of the community had emigrated. * 1 December – Israel announced plans to establish "the world's first chain of industrial co-operative towns" in the

Negev Desert The Negev or Negeb (; he, הַנֶּגֶב, hanNegév; ar, ٱلنَّقَب, an-Naqab) is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The region's largest city and administrative capital is Beersheba (pop. ), in the north. At its southe ...

, starting with the community of Mitzpe Ramon."Israel Town Created in Negev Area as First of Co-op Chain", ''Miami News'', 2 December 1961, p6A * 11 December –

Adolf Eichmann Otto Adolf Eichmann ( ,"Eichmann"
''

crimes against humanity Crimes against humanity are widespread or systemic acts committed by or on behalf of a ''de facto'' authority, usually a state, that grossly violate human rights. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity do not have to take place within the ...

by a panel of three Israeli judges. * 15 December – An Israeli war crimes tribunal sentences

Adolf Eichmann Otto Adolf Eichmann ( ,"Eichmann"
''

The Holocaust.

Israeli–Palestinian conflict

The most prominent events related to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict which occurred during 1961 include: Notable Palestinian militant operations against Israeli targets
The most prominent Palestinian fedayeen terror attacks committed against Israelis during 1961 include: Notable Israeli military operations against Palestinian militancy targets
The most prominent Israeli military counter-terrorism operations (

military campaign A military campaign is large-scale long-duration significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of interrelated military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war. The term derives from the ...

s and military operations) carried out against

Palestinian militants Palestinian political violence refers to acts of violence perpetrated for political ends in relation to the State of Palestine or in connection with Palestinian nationalism. Common political objectives include self-determination in and sovereig ...

during 1961 include:

Notable births

* 3 March – Ze'ev Nechama, Israeli singer, songwriter and composer. * 3 May –

Ya'akov Eilon Ya'akov Eilon ( he, יעקב אילון, born 3 May 1961), Jacob Eilon, is an Israeli television presenter and journalist. Alongside Miki Haimovich, he was the anchor of Channel 2 (Israel), Channel 2's ''HaHadashot 12, HaHadashot 2'' and Chan ...

, Israeli journalist and news anchorman. * 10 June – Sey Heiman, Israeli singer. * 11 July – Ophir Pines-Paz, Israeli politician. * 27 July – Erez Tal, Israeli media personality. * 10 December – Oded Schramm, Israeli mathematician (died 2008).

Notable deaths

* 22 March –

Gideon Mer Gideon Mer ( he, גדעון מר, 1894, Panevėžys - 22 March 1961 Rosh Pinna) was an Israeli scientist whose work was mostly concerned with the eradication of malaria. He was the father of Arna Mer-Khamis and the grandfather of Juliano Mer-K ...

(born 1894), Russian (Lithuania)-born Israeli physician, scientist and malaria researcher. * 30 April – Peretz Naftali (born

1888 In Germany, 1888 is known as the Year of the Three Emperors. Currently, it is the year that, when written in Roman numerals, has the most digits (13). The next year that also has 13 digits is the year 2388. The record will be surpassed as late ...

), German-born Zionist activist and Israeli politician. * 30 May – Binyamin Mintz (born 1903), Russian (Poland)-born Israeli politician. * 25 June –

Ezra Ichilov Ezra Ichilov ( he, עזרא איכילוב, 10 June 1907 – 25 June 1961) was an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for the General Zionists and the Liberal Party between 1951 and 1961. Biography Ichilov was born in Pe ...

(born

1907 Events January * January 14 – 1907 Kingston earthquake: A 6.5 Mw earthquake in Kingston, Jamaica, kills between 800 and 1,000. February * February 11 – The French warship ''Jean Bart'' sinks off the coast of Morocco. ...

), Israeli politician. * 8 October –

Moshe Smoira Moshe Smoira ( he, משה זמורה, born 25 October 1888, died 8 October 1961) was an Israeli jurist and the first President of the Supreme Court of Israel. Biography Smoira was born in 1888 in Königsberg, in the German Empire to Leiser and ...

(born 1888), first President of the Supreme Court of Israel

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:1961 in Israel

Incumbents

Events

Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Notable births

Notable deaths

See also

References

External links