Ophir Pines-Paz

(1961 - )

Ophir Pines-Paz is an Israeli politician who formerly served in the Israeli Cabinet.

Pines-Paz (born July 11, 1961) was born in Rishon LeZion. He completed his army service with the rank of Staff Sergeant. He holds a B.A. in International Relations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an M.A. in Public Policy from Tel Aviv University.

He served in the past as Deputy Director-General of the Immigration and Absorption Department of the Jewish Agency, Chairman of the Authority for Rehabilitation of Prisoners, and Secretary General of the Israel Labor Party.

A Member of Knesset since the 14th Knesset (1996), Pines-Paz most recently served as a member of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justic, State Control, and Science and Technology Committees, as well as a member of the Municipal Lobby. In the 15th Knesset he served among others as Chairman of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee and as Coalition Chairman, and in the 14th Knesset as Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Workers.

In January 2005, Pines-Paz was appointed Minister of the Interior. In May 2006 he was appointed Minister of Science and Technology.

In January 2010 Pines-Paz announced he was retiring from politics and leaving the Labor Party, which he said "had abandoned its values over the past 15 years".

He is married, and has two children.

Sources: Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Wikipedia