Haim Ramon
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Haim Ramon (born 10 April 1950) is an Israeli politician who is currently affiliated with the Kadima party. He was appointed Minister of Justice on May 4, 2006 and announced his resignation from the post on August 18 of the same year, following allegations of sexual misconduct. He was found guilty of harassing a woman soldier at a ministry party, forcing a French kiss on her against her will.
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[edit] Early history to Knesset membership
Born in Jaffa, Ramon served in the Israeli Air Force, rising to the rank of Captain , before studying law at Tel Aviv University. He joined the Labour Party as soon as he left the military, and was secretary of its youth wing from 1978 until 1989. He has been a member of the Knesset since the 1981 General Election. He has been a member of various committees, and chaired the finance committee from 1988 to 1992.
[edit] Minister of Health
Ramon was appointed Minister of Health in the government of Yitzhak Rabin in 1992. The National Health Insurance Law was approved during his term of office. Based on recommendations of the Netanyahu Commission (1990), the law went into effect on January 1, 1995.
Before the law was passed, health insurance was optional. Even so, 96% of the population was insured. [1]
According to the new law, [2]
- Employers and the self-employed pay a special health tax (mas briut) which is usually 3.1% to 4.8% of their salary, depending on how much they earn. Persons who receive old-age pensions pay a premium of 2% of the average wage.
- Israel has four health maintenance organizations ("Kupat Holim" sick funds) - Clalit, Meuhedet, Maccabi and Leumit.
- Health insurance in one of these organizations is mandatory.
- Citizens are free to choose the health maintenance organization they want to join. These organizations may not bar applicants on any grounds, including age or state of health.
- The health maintenance organizations are required to supply all services enumerated in the standardized basket.
- Taxes are distributed on a capitation basis, adjusted for the age composition of the health funds.
[edit] Criticism
Some believe that the new progressive health tax has slowed down economic development.
According to a JDC-Brookdale Institute survey conducted in 1996, "approximately 40% of the population reported that they were paying higher health insurance premiums than in the past, while 20% reported that they were paying lower premiums, and another 20% indicated that they were paying about the same (the rest did not know)" [3].
The improvement of health care service quality has been miniscule. Only 18% of the population felt that service levels had improved and 4% felt that they had declined. All the rest (78%) did not feel any change. [4]
Since the passage of the law, all four health care organizations have been in severe financial straits.
[edit] Chairman of Histadrut
As health minister, Ramon fought with the Labour establishment on the linkage of the Histadrut Labor Federation and the Clalit Health Fund and issues relating to national health insurance. In 1994, Ramon split from the Labour party to form a list called "New Life in the Histadrut" together with Amir Peretz. In the subsequent election he beat the Labour faction which had controlled the Histadrut since its founding. He proceeded to privatize most of the Histadrut-owned companies. He returned to government after Rabin's assassination, serving as Minister of Internal Affairs under Shimon Peres from 1995 to 1996, when Labour lost power.
[edit] Failed Labour leadership bid
When Labour returned to power in 1999 under Ehud Barak, Ramon was appointed Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, overseeing government reform and relations between the government and Knesset. He became Minister of Internal Affairs for a second time in 2000, serving until Barak's government fell in 2001. He opposed Barak's proposals to enter a coalition under Ariel Sharon, and did not participate in the coalition formed in March 2002 by Sharon and Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Barak's successor as Labour leader. He ran for the leadership of the Labour Party in November 2002, losing to Amram Mitzna. In January 2005, the Labor Party entered the government of Ariel Sharon and Ramon became Minister Without Portfolio, departing in November 2005 with the other Labor ministers.
[edit] Joining Kadima and militancy during Lebanon conflict
Following Sharon's break from Likud, and the formation of the centrist Kadima party, Ramon broke from Labour and joined Kadima. He was the first Labour politician to join Kadima. In the present government, formed in 2006 and headed by Ehud Olmert, Ramon was appointed Justice Minister. During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, Ramon emerged as one of the most hawkish members of cabinet. [1] Ramon's hawkishness is isolated, however, and is attributed to the fact that he is one of the leading proponents of Israeli withdrawals and does not want to be perceived as forsaking Israel's security.
[edit] Indecent conduct and resignation
On July 27, 2006, following a seven-hour police interrogation of Ramon, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz instructed the Justice Minister to refrain from making executive decisions relating to law enforcement, including the appointment of judges and the granting of amnesty, while under a sexual harassment investigation. [2] On the same day Ramon also stated, "Everyone in southern Lebanon is a terrorist and is connected to Hezbollah." [3] On August 17, Israel's Attorney General Menachem Mazuz decided to indict Ramon for indecent assault. Ramon has responded by saying: "I am certain of my innocence. The court will prove it." [4] The Movement for Quality Government called on Ramon to step down, and he announced his resignation on 18 August.[5] (The indictment came two days after Tzachi Hanegbi, another former Justice Minister, was also indicted by Mazuz (for fraud, bribery and perjury).) He was convicted on January 31, 2007,[6] although he still has the right to appeal.
[edit] References
- ^ Israel mobilises reserves to boost assault on Lebanon - The Times. July 27, 2006. "Haim Ramon, the hawkish Israeli Justice Minister, told Israel Army Radio ‘Everyone understands that a victory for Hezbollah is a victory for world terror.’"
- ^ Ramon barred from certain decisions while under investigation - Haaretz. July 31, 2006
- ^ Bush-Blair call for international force The Christian Science Monitor - July 28, 2006. "Mr Ramon said at a security cabinet meeting headed by Ehud Olmert, the prime minister. ‘Everyone in southern Lebanon is a terrorist and is connected to Hizbollah. Our great advantage vis-a-vis Hizbollah is our firepower, not in face-to-face combat.’"
- ^ Justice Minister Ramon to be indicted - Yedioth Ahronoth. August 17, 2006
- ^ Accused Israeli minister to quit - BBC News. 18 August 2006.
- ^ [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3359150,00.html - Yedioth Ahronoth
[edit] External links
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| Pinchas Rosen (three times) • Dov Yosef (twice) • Haim Cohen • David Ben-Gurion • Yaakov Shimshon Shapiro (twice) • Golda Meir (twice) • Haim Yosef Tzadok • Menachem Begin • Shmuel Tamir • Moshe Nissim • Yitzchak Modai • Avraham Sharir • Dan Meridor • David Libai • Yaakov Neeman • Benjamin Netanyahu • Tzachi Hanegbi • Yossi Beilin • Meir Sheetrit (twice) • Yosef Lapid • Tzipi Livni (twice) • Haim Ramon • Daniel Friedmann |
