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Mickey Levy

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Mickey Levy
מיקי לוי
Levy in 2012
Faction represented in the Knesset
2013–2019Yesh Atid
2019–2020Blue and White
2020–Yesh Atid
Ministerial roles
2013–2014Deputy Minister of Finance
Other roles
2021–2022Speaker of the Knesset
Personal details
Born (1951-06-21) 21 June 1951 (age 73)
Jerusalem, Israel

Mickey Levy (Hebrew: מיקי לוי, born 21 June 1951)[1] is an Israeli politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Yesh Atid and is a former Speaker of the Knesset. He served as Deputy Minister of Finance between 2013 and 2014. Before entering politics, he was a police officer.

Biography

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Levy was born in Jerusalem to immigrant parents who were of Kurdish Jewish origin from Cizre, Turkey.[1][2][3] He did his military service in the Israel Defense Forces in the Paratroopers Brigade. After being discharged from the military, he joined the Israel Police and held a series of command positions. He served as head of Jerusalem branch of the Israel Police between 2000 and 2004, winning the Knight of Good Government award in 2002.[4] After retiring he worked as the Israeli police attaché in Washington, D.C. until 2007.[4] He also gained a BA in political science from the University of Haifa and an MEd from the University of Derby, as well as serving as CEO of the Egged Ta'avura bus company.[4]

Prior to the 2013 Knesset elections Levy joined the new Yesh Atid party, and was placed eleventh on its list.[5] He entered the Knesset after the party won 19 seats. Following Yesh Atid's coalition agreement with Likud, he was appointed to serve as Deputy Finance Minister.[6] He was placed eleventh on the party's list again for the 2015 elections,[7] and was re-elected as the party won 11 seats.

In the build-up to the April 2019 elections Yesh Atid joined the Blue and White alliance, with Levy placed twenty-second on its list. He was re-elected as the alliance won 35 seats.

As part of the agreement between Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid to form a "change" government, Levy was elected Speaker of the 24th Knesset on 13 June 2021, defeating Ya'akov Margi of Shas.[8][9] Following the 2022 elections Levy was replaced as speaker by Yariv Levin.[10]

Personal life

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Levy is married to Nurit and has four children and lives in the Mevasseret Zion suburb of Jerusalem.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Members of the 25th Knesset". Knesset.
  2. ^ Abdulla, Hemen. "Kurdish-Israeli MP: we would support Kurdish independence". Rudaw. Rudaw. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  3. ^ Editorial Staff (2015-03-31). "Israeli Kurdish MP Mickey Levy: We would support Kurdish independence". Kurd Net – Ekurd.net Daily News. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  4. ^ a b c d Mickey Levy Knesset
  5. ^ Yesh Atid Central Elections Committee
  6. ^ Ettinger, Yair (24 April 2013). "Deputy Finance Minister calls ultra-Orthodox 'parasites' on the air, and immediately apologizes". Haaretz. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  7. ^ Yesh Atid list Central Elections Committee
  8. ^ "Yesh Atid's Mickey Levy appointed new Knesset speaker". The Times of Israel. 13 June 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  9. ^ Kingsley, Patrick (2021-06-13). "Mickey Levy is the Knesset's new speaker". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  10. ^ "N12 - לאחר הסערה: יריב לוין נבחר ליו"ר הכנסת החדש". N12. 2022-12-13. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
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