Ophir Pines-Paz

Ophir Pines - Paz (Hebrew אופיר פינס - פז; born July 11, 1961 in Rishon LeZion ) is an Israeli politician. He is a deputy in the Knesset and was several times minister of the Israeli Labor Party Avodah. In October 2006, he resigned in protest against the inclusion of the ultra-right party Jisra'el Beiteinu (Israel - our home ) back into the government coalition of his former ministerial posts.

Life and work

Ophir Pines - Paz was born the son of a Dutchman in Rishon LeZion in 1961. After leaving school and completing his studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (BA in International Relations ) and at the Tel Aviv University (MA in Public Policy ), he devoted himself to a political career.

Since 1996 he has been a deputy member of Avodah in the Knesset. From January to November 2005, he was Israeli Minister of the Interior from May to October 2006 Minister of Science, Technology, Culture and Sport. As the ultra-right party of Avigdor Lieberman Jisra'el Beiteinu was included in the coalition, protested nine Knesset members, including Ophir Pines - Paz, against a coalition of the Labour Party with Jisra'el Beiteinu, as this party out for the ethnic cleansing of all Arabs Israel and the occupied territories occurs. In protest put Pines - Paz in October 2006, his minister resigned as a coalition of Avodah with Jisra'el Beiteinu has been agreed.

Ophir Pines - Paz is married and has two children.