Yosef (Tomy) Lapid

(1931 - )

Yosef Lapid was born in Yugoslavia in 1931 and immigrated to Israel in 1948. He holds a law degree (L.L.B.) and is a journalist by profession. He has served in the past as General Director of the Israel Broadcasting Authority, Chairman of the Cable TV Union, and Chairman of the Israel Chess Society.

Head of the Shinui party, Yosef Lapid has been a Member of Knesset since 1999. He served as a member of the Foreign Affairs & Defense and the Constitution, Law and Justice Committees, as well as on the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee for the Location and Restitution of Property of Holocaust Victims and the Special Committee for Discussion of the Security Service Law.

In February 2003, Yosef Lapid was appointed Minister of Justice, and Deputy Prime Minister.

Lapid speaks Hebrew, English, German, Hungarian, Serbo-Croatian. He has published articles in the "Ma'ariv" daily and several books in Hebrew. He is married, and has two children.

Source: Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs