Idit Silman

Idit Silman is an Israeli politician currently serving as Minister of Environmental Protection in the 37th government. Her political journey reflects a rapid and impactful rise, marked by notable leadership roles and controversial political decisions that have shaped recent Israeli parliamentary dynamics.

Born on October 27, 1980, in Rehovot, Silman holds a bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate in life sciences and sports from the Wingate Institute and a master’s degree in business administration from the Peres Academic Center. Before entering politics, she worked as a teacher and marketing director.

Silman entered the Knesset in April 2019 as part of the Union of Right-Wing Parties (The Jewish Home–National Union alliance). Still, her tenure was brief due to political instability and repeated elections. After losing her seat, she returned to the Knesset in April 2021 as a member of the Yamina party led by Naftali Bennett, benefiting from a last-minute reshuffling that elevated her position on the party list.

Upon forming the 36th government — a broad coalition known as the “government of change” — Silman was appointed coalition chair and the Knesset’s Health Committee chair. She played a central role in passing Israel’s first state budget in over three years, a significant legislative milestone.

However, Silman became best known for her dramatic departure from the coalition in April 2022, which reduced the government’s majority and precipitated its collapse. Her resignation, spurred by ideological disputes including opposition to relaxed hospital policies regarding chametz (leavened food) during Passover, marked a critical turning point. Reports indicated she had come under heavy pressure from opposition figures and right-wing activists before her decision.

Following her defection, Silman joined the Likud party. In the November 2022 elections, she was elected to the 25th Knesset as a Likud MK and appointed Minister of Environmental Protection in December 2022. In this role, she has overseen key environmental policy areas and represented Israel in international climate and sustainability forums.

Throughout her time in the Knesset, Silman held numerous additional positions. She was chair or member of various parliamentary committees and lobbies focused on health equity, food security, body image among youth, the third sector, public health, women’s empowerment, and relations with Jewish and Christian communities abroad.

Silman is fluent in Hebrew and English and continues to reside in Rehovot. Her career exemplifies the fluid nature of Israeli coalition politics and the outsized influence that individual members of Knesset can exert in a fragmented parliamentary system.

Sources: “Knesset Member Idit Silman,” Israeli Knesset.
“Idit Silman - Minister of Environmental Protection,” Ministry of Environmental Protection. 
Ruth Marks Eglash, “The Israeli lawmaker who could topple the government,” Jewish Insider, (April 2, 2022).
“#50 Idit Silman,” Forbes Israel, (June 30, 2022).

Photo: Baruch Greenberg, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.