Dalia Itzik

(1952 - )

Dalia Itzik was born in Jerusalem in 1952.

She received a B.A. in Literature and History from the Hebrew University and a Teacher's Diploma from the Efrata Teachers Seminary in Jerusalem. She received a Law Degree from the Interdisciplina Center in Herzliya.

A teacher by profession, Dalia Itzik is a former Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem in charge of Education. She was chairperson of the Legislative Panel of the Labor Party, a member of the Labor Party Central Committee, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Israel Broadcasting Authority and the boards of the Jerusalem Theater and Gerard Behar Center.

Elected to the Knesset in 1992, she has served on the Knesset Finance Committee (1992-96); the Education and Culture Committee (1992-99), which she chaired from March 1995 to June 1996; and the Committee on the Status of Women (1992-99). She also served as chairperson of the Special Committee for Research and Scientific Technological Development (July 1997-June 1999).

Dalia Itzik served as Minister of the Environment from July 1999 until March 2001. She served as Minister of Industry and Trade from March 2001 until October 2002, when she resigned from the government together with the other Labor ministers.

In January 2005, Dalia Itzik was appointed Minister of Communications.

In May 2006 Dalia Itzik was selected Speaker of the Knesset.

On January 25, 2007, Israeli President Moshe Katsav was granted a temporary suspension of three months after it was reported that Israel’s Attorney General planned to indict him on rape charges. During that time, Itzik was named acting president during his suspension.

She is married and the mother of three.

Sources: Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs