Naomi Blumenthal ( he, נעמי בלומנטל, born 22 November 1943) is a former
Israeli politician. First elected to the
Knesset
The Knesset ( he, הַכְּנֶסֶת ; "gathering" or "assembly") is the unicameral legislature of Israel. As the supreme state body, the Knesset is sovereign and thus has complete control of the entirety of the Israeli government (with ...
in 1992, her political career was ended by a conviction for corruption in 2006.
Biography
Born in
Bitzaron
Bitzaron ( he, בִּצָּרוֹן, lit. ''Stronghold'') is a moshav in southern Israel. Located on local road 3811, between Gan Yavne and Bnei Ayish, it falls under the jurisdiction of Be'er Tuvia Regional Council. In its population was ; its ...
during the
Mandate era, Blumenthal served in a
Nahal
Nahal ( he, נח"ל) (acronym of ''Noar Halutzi Lohem'', lit. Fighting Pioneer Youth) is a program that combines military service with mostly social welfare and informal education projects such as youth movement activities, as well as training ...
brigade during her
national service
National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939.
The l ...
. She gained a BA in Political Science and Criminology from
Bar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University (BIU, he, אוניברסיטת בר-אילן, ''Universitat Bar-Ilan'') is a public research university in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is Israel's second-largest academic i ...
and also graduated from the Beit Zvi School of Art in
Ramat Gan
Ramat Gan ( he, רָמַת גַּן or , ) is a city in the Tel Aviv District of Israel, located east of the municipality of Tel Aviv and part of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. It is home to one of the world's major diamond exchanges, and many ...
.
Blumenthal was one of the founders of the
Beersheba
Beersheba or Beer Sheva, officially Be'er-Sheva ( he, בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע, ''Bəʾēr Ševaʿ'', ; ar, بئر السبع, Biʾr as-Sabʿ, Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven), is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. ...
theatre and chaired the Al-Sam anti-drug abuse association. She is also a former chairwoman of the ''Political Centre -
Israel Women's Network
Israel Women's Network (IWN) is a feminist non-partisan civil society organization founded in Jerusalem in 1984. IWN's mission is to advance the status of women in Israel by promoting equality through a range of projects and methods.
Backgroun ...
'', and was a member of the Israeli delegation to the
United Nations Conference on the Status of Women in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1995.
In 1992 she was elected to the Knesset on
Likud
Likud ( he, הַלִּיכּוּד, HaLikud, The Consolidation), officially known as Likud – National Liberal Movement, is a major centre-right to right-wing political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon ...
's list. After retaining her seat in 1996 and 1999, she was appointed Deputy Minister of National Infrastructure by
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon (; ; ; also known by his diminutive Arik, , born Ariel Scheinermann, ; 26 February 1928 – 11 January 2014) was an Israeli general and politician who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Israel from March 2001 until April 2006.
S ...
in 2001. She served as chairwoman of the Worldwide Likud Movement between 2001 and 2002, and stepped down from the
cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filing ...
in January 2003.
Although re-elected in 2003, it later emerged that she had bribed 15 Likud activists and central committee members during the party primaries in December 2003 by hosting them in a hotel in Ramat Gan.
The episode became known as the "Sheraton City Tower Affair".
Criticised by the judge for using her right to silence, she was sentenced to eight months in prison, a ten-month suspended sentence and was fined NIS 75,000.
She appealed against the verdict, but lost. However, in July 2007
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres (; he, שמעון פרס ; born Szymon Perski; 2 August 1923 – 28 September 2016) was an Israeli politician who served as the eighth prime minister of Israel from 1984 to 1986 and from 1995 to 1996 and as the ninth president of ...
commuted her sentence to community service, though she was not pardoned. The
Movement for Quality Government
The Movement for Quality Government in Israel ( he, התנועה למען איכות השלטון בישראל, ''HaTnu'a Lema'an Ekhut HaShilton BeYisrael'') is an Israeli non-profit organization that claims a membership of about 17,000. Formed ...
appealed Peres' decision, but their petition was rejected by the Knesset.
See also
*
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blumenthal, Naomi
1943 births
Living people
Bar-Ilan University alumni
Beit Zvi School for the Performing Arts alumni
Deputy ministers of Israel
Israeli people convicted of bribery
Israeli politicians convicted of corruption
Israeli female criminals
Women members of the Knesset
Jews in Mandatory Palestine
Likud politicians
Members of the 13th Knesset (1992–1996)
Members of the 14th Knesset (1996–1999)
Members of the 15th Knesset (1999–2003)
Members of the 16th Knesset (2003–2006)
Moshavniks
Recipients of Israeli presidential pardons
21st-century Israeli women politicians
20th-century Israeli women politicians
Israeli politicians convicted of crimes