Thirtieth government of Israel

Second Sharon Cabinet

30th Cabinet of Israel
Date formed28 February 2003 (2003-02-28)
Date dissolved4 May 2006 (2006-05-04)
People and organisations
Head of stateMoshe Katsav
Head of governmentAriel Sharon (de facto until 4 January 2006)
Ehud Olmert (de facto after 4 January 2006)
Member partiesLikud (until 15 January 2006)
Kadima
Labor-Meimad (10 January–25 November 2005)
Shinui (until 4 December 2004)
National Union (until 6 June 2004)
National Religious Party (until 11 November 2004)
Status in legislatureCoalition government
Opposition cabinetShadow Cabinet of Tommy Lapid
Opposition leaderAmram Mitzna (until 11 May 2003)
Dalia Itzik (until 19 June 2003)
Shimon Peres (until 9 January 2005)
Tommy Lapid (until 22 November 2005)
Amir Peretz (until 3 May 2006)
History
Election2003
Legislature term16th Knesset
Predecessor29th cabinet of Israel
Successor31st cabinet of Israel

The thirtieth government of Israel was formed by Ariel Sharon on 28 February 2003, following Likud's comprehensive victory in the January elections. His coalition initially included Shinui and the National Union, holding 60 of the 120 seats in the Knesset, whilst the two-seat Yisrael BaAliyah merged into Likud shortly after. The National Religious Party also joined the coalition on 3 March 2003, taking the number of seats it held up to 66. The parties formed a center-right coalition.[1][2]

The government became increasingly unstable due to the Gaza disengagement plan, with the National Union leaving the coalition on 6 June 2004, and the National Religious Party following on 11 November. On 4 December Shinui also left the government following disagreements over the budget.[3] On 10 January 2005, Labor–Meimad joined the government, and was joined by Agudat Yisrael on 30 March.

On 23 November 2005 Sharon and several other ministers left Likud to establish Kadima (initially known as National Responsibility), remaining in control of the government. Although Labor-Meimad left the government on the same day, Sharon remained in control until suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006, at which point Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert took temporary control. Although Likud left the government on 15 January, Olmert became Interim Prime Minister on 16 April, and remained head of the government until he formed the thirty-first government on 4 May 2006, following Kadima's victory in the March elections.

Israeli government formation, 2003
← 2001 28 February 2003 2006 →
 
Nominee Ariel Sharon Amram Mitzna
Party Likud Labor
Electoral vote 66 54[citation needed]
Percentage 55.0% 45.0%
Prime Minister before election

Ariel Sharon
Likud

Elected Prime Minister

Ariel Sharon
Likud

Cabinet members

Position Person Party
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (until 16 April 2006) Likud, Kadima
Ehud Olmert (interim from 16 April 2006) Kadima
Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres (10 January - 23 November 2005) Labor-Meimad
Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (until 16 April 2006) Likud, Kadima
Deputy Prime Minister Tommy Lapid (until 4 December 2004) Shinui
Silvan Shalom (until 15 January 2006) Likud
Minister of Agriculture Israel Katz (until 14 January 2006) Likud
Ze'ev Boim (from 18 January 2006) Kadima
Minister of Communications Ariel Sharon (until 17 August 2003) Likud
Ehud Olmert (29 September 2003 - 10 January 2005) Likud
Dalia Itzik (10 January - 23 November 2005) Labor-Meimad
Avraham Hirschson (from 18 January 2006) Kadima
Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz Not an MK
Minister of Education, Culture and Sport Limor Livnat (until 14 January 2006) Likud
Meir Sheetrit (from 18 January 2006) Kadima
Minister of the Environment Yehudit Naot (until 17 October 2004) Shinui
Ilan Shalgi (29 November 2004 - 4 December 2005) Shinui
Shalom Simhon (10 January - 23 November 2005) Labor-Meimad
Gideon Ezra (from 18 January 2006) Kadima
Minister of Finance Benjamin Netanyahu (until 9 August 2005) Likud
Ehud Olmert (from 7 November 2005) Likud, Kadima
Minister in the Finance Ministry Meir Sheetrit (until 5 July 2004) Likud
Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom (until 15 January 2006) Likud
Tzipi Livni (from 18 January 2006) Kadima
Minister of Health Dan Naveh (until 14 January 2006) Likud
Ya'akov Edri (from 18 January 2006) Kadima
Minister of Housing and Construction Effi Eitam (3 March 2003 - 10 June 2004) National Religious Party
Tzipi Livni (31 August 2004 - 10 January 2005) Likud
Isaac Herzog (10 January - 23 November 2005) Labor-Meimad
Ze'ev Boim (from 18 January 2006) Kadima
Minister of Immigrant Absorption Tzipi Livni Likud, Kadima
Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour Ehud Olmert Likud, Kadima
Minister of Internal Affairs Avraham Poraz (until 4 December 2004) Shinui
Ophir Pines-Paz (10 January - 23 November 2005) Labor-Meimad
Minister of Internal Security Tzachi Hanegbi (until 6 September 2004) Likud
Gideon Ezra (from 29 November 2004) Likud, Kadima
Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Natan Sharansky (3 March 2003 - 4 May 2005) Not an MK 1
Minister of Justice Tommy Lapid (until 4 December 2004) Shinui
Tzipi Livni (from 10 January 2005) Likud, Kadima
Minister of National Infrastructure Yosef Paritzky (until 13 July 2004) Shinui
Eliezer Sandberg (19 July - 4 December 2004) Shinui
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (10 January - 23 November 2005) Labor-Meimad
Roni Bar-On (from 18 January 2006) Kadima
Minister of Religious Affairs Ariel Sharon (until 31 December 2003) Likud
Minister of Science, Culture and Sport Eliezer Sandberg (until 19 July 2004) Shinui
Ilan Shalgi (24 July - 29 November 2004) Shinui
Victor Brailovsky (29 November - 4 December 2004) Shinui
Matan Vilnai (7–23 November 2005) Labor-Meimad
Roni Bar-On (from 18 January 2006) Kadima
Minister of Tourism Benny Elon (until 6 June 2004) National Union
Gideon Ezra (31 August 2004 - 10 January 2005) Likud
Avraham Hirschson (from 10 January 2005) Likud, Kadima
Minister of Transportation Avigdor Lieberman (until 6 June 2004) National Union
Meir Sheetrit (from 31 August 2004) Likud, Kadima
Minister of Welfare and Social Services Zevulun Orlev (3 March 2003 - 11 November 2004) National Religious Party
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Gideon Ezra (until 31 August 2004) Likud
Uzi Landau (until 26 October 2004) Likud
Tzachi Hanegbi (from 6 September 2004) Likud, Kadima
Matan Vilnai (12 January - 28 August 2005) Labor-Meimad
Minister without Portfolio Haim Ramon (10 January - 23 November 2005) Labor-Meimad

1 Although Sharansky was not an MK at the time of his appointment, he had been elected to the Knesset on the Yisrael BaAliyah list.

References

  1. ^ Israeli parliament OKs Sharon pullout plan, NBC News, Oct. 13, 2004.
  2. ^ Unity Coalition Governments: Explainer
  3. ^ Factional and Government Make-Up of the Sixteenth Knesset Knesset website