Haim Ramon

(1950 - )

Haim Ramon, a lawyer by profession, was born in Jaffa in 1950.

Ramon was National Coordinator of the "Youth for Youth" movement and Chairman of the Public Council for Youth Exchanges and was active in the Labor Party's Young Guard, serving as its National Secretary between 1978 and 1984.

He has been a Member of the Knesset since 1983, serving on the Committees for Constitution, Law and Justice (1983-92); State Audit (1984-88); Finance (1984-92); and the House Committee (1988-92).

He also served as Coordinator of the Labour Party in the Finance Committee (1984-88) and was the Chairman of the Labor faction in the Knesset (1988-92).

He served was Minister of Health from July 1992 until his resignation in 1994.

He was elected Chairman of the Histadrut General Federation of Labor in July 1995, in which position he served until his appointment in November 1995 as Minister of the Interior (until June 1996).

From 1996-1999, he served as a member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

In July 1999, Ramon was appointed Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibilities for Jerusalem, government reform, and liaison between the government and the Knesset. In August 2000 he was also assigned the Interior portfolio. He held these posts until March 2001.

In January 2005, Haim Ramon was appointed Minister without Portfolio.

Haim Ramon served as Minister without Portfolio from January 2005 until November, when Labor resigned from the government. Ramon subsequently announced his resignation from the Labor Party to join Ariel Sharon's new party, Kadima.

In May 2006, Haim Ramon was appointed Minister of Justice and resigned in August. In July 2007, he was appointed Vice Premier in the Prime Minister's Office.

He is married and the father of two.