Yoel Hasson

Yoel Hasson
Date of birth 4 April 1972
Place of birth Tel Aviv, Israel
Knessets 17, 18, 20
Faction represented in Knesset
2006–2012 Kadima
2012–2013 Hatnuah
2015– Zionist Union

Yoel Hasson (Hebrew: יואל חסון‎, born 4 April 1972) is an Israeli politician and member of the Knesset for Kadima and Hatnuah.[1]

Biography

Born in Tel Aviv, Hasson studied for a BA in government and public policy at IDC Herzliya. He joined the Betar movement, and was head of the national leadership of its youth movement between 1998 and 2001. In 2001 he became chairman of the Council of Israeli Youth Movements, a position he held until 2003. Between 2001 and 2005 he also served as an adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. In 2004 he became chairman of the Likud youth, but left in 2005 to join Sharon's new party, Kadima.

Hasson was placed 29th on Kadima's list for the 2006 elections, and with Kadima winning 29 seats, he was elected to the Knesset. During his first term he served as chairman of the Lobby for the Advancement of Young People in Israel and the Lobby for the Protection of Animals (which he established),[2] as well as being named chairman of the coalition, Kadima's Parliamentary Group Chairman and the party's whip.[3] His advocacy for animal welfare earned him support among Israeli green activists.[4]

He retained his seat in the 2009 elections, for which he was placed 11th on the party's list. Hasson gained a reputation as a socially oriented MK. He led the legislation to ensure widows of fallen IDF soldier who remarried will still get benefits, as well as a law limiting parking lots' prices.[2]

Shortly before the 2013 elections he left the party to join Hatnuah, which he, along with Shlomo Molla, helped Tzipi Livni build.[5] He was placed seventh on the Hatnuah list,[6] losing his seat as the party won only six seats. In 2015, Livni tapped him to fill the 16th spot (reserved for Hatnuah members) on the Zionist Union list.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Tzipi Livni's new movement brings her full circle back to Israeli politics Haaretz, 27 November 2012
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Moran Azulay (2015-01-25). "Former Kadima MK Yoel Hasson to join Zionist Camp". Ynetnews.
  3. ↑ Coalition takes 'humiliating' losses in Knesset votes The Jerusalem Post, 21 July 2008
  4. ↑ Sharon Udasin, ‘We expect the government to rise to the challenge of environmental issues’, The Jerusalem Post (March 18, 2015)
  5. ↑ Gil Hoffman (2015-01-27). "General from Meretz joins as Mofaz retires". The Jerusalem Post.
  6. ↑ Hatnuah Central Elections Committee

External links