Haim Oron
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Haim Oron (Hebrew: חיים אורון) (born: March 26, 1940), nicknamed Jums (ג'ומס), is an Israeli politician who has served in the 12-16th Knessets, former Minister of Agriculture. He is number two on Meretz-Yachad's list.
Oron was born in Giv'atayim, and went on to serve in the parachuted Nahal. He joined Kibbutz Lahav (where he has worked as a factory manager and a teacher) and remains a member of it to this day. In 1968, he became secretary of Hashomer Hatzair and then, the National Kibbutz movement. He is one of the founders of Peace Now (1978).
In 1988, he was voted to the Knesset for Mapam which in 1992 merged with Ratz and Shinui as Meretz (which later became Meretz-Yachad). During the thirteenth Knesset, he was chairman of the Ethic Committee. During the fourteenth Knesset, he became the leader of Meretz.
He joined Haim Ramon in his bid for the Histadrut leadership, and after Ramon's victory, during 1995-1996, served as its treasurer. In 1999, Oron was appointed Minister of Agriculture in Ehud Barak's government. In 2000, he resigned from the Knesset. He was voted to the 17th Knesset in the 2006 elections.