RELATED:Ben-Eliezer: Mubarak regime, peace will endureHis apparently dyed dark hair led to his ongoing image of frenetic activity and involvement, and in recent weeks and months, he saw Egypt’s then-president Hosni Mubarak in power and even spoke to him on the phone after the powerful Egyptian was pushed shame-facedly from office.Born in Basra, Iraq in 1936, Fuad, Ben-Eliezer's given name, made aliya with his family in 1950 and spoke fluent Arabic as well as Hebrew and English. He has been a member of the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th Knessets and has been in the Labor Party since 1991. Previously he was in Yahad in 1984 and soon joined the Alignment from that year until 1991. Ben-Eliezer has served in various ministerial posts including defense minister; minister of industry, trade and labor; minister of national infrastructure; deputy prime minister; minister of communications; and minister of housing and construction. For much of the time, he was loyal to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, but in recent times sharply criticized and then broke with him, leaving Barak in the new Atzmaut Party and himself resigning from the government.Previous to joining political life, Ben-Eliezer worked in the Israel Defense Forces from 1954 and became a career soldier. He served as a commander in the Six Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973 and was wounded in the War of Attrition. In 1977, he was appointed first commanding officer in southern Lebanon, serving at the army liaison between the Lebanese Christian militias and Israel and serving as military governor of Judea and Samaria from 1978 to 1981. He was also coordinator of government activities in the territories in 1983-4. He finished his military service with the rank of brigadier general and was first elected to parliament in 1984 as a Yahad MK, which soon merged with the Alignment.In recent years he has been an "elder statesmen" and has even been offered high posts in Labor. He won the Labor Party leadership election in 2001 only to lose the leadership post one year later to Amram Mitzna. Ben-Eliezer has been a hawk in defense matters but more left-wing politically, calling for a compromise in final-status talks.Assaf Harofe director-general Dr. Benny Davidson said Ben-Eliezer’s condition was "not simple" because of his age and medical history. His life may be in danger, but the hospital spokeswoman officially released only two sentences of dry information.
Ben-Eliezer attached to respirator due to pneumonia
Assaf Harofe Medical Center official says former Labor MK’s condition "not simple" because of his age and medical history, life may be in danger.
RELATED:Ben-Eliezer: Mubarak regime, peace will endureHis apparently dyed dark hair led to his ongoing image of frenetic activity and involvement, and in recent weeks and months, he saw Egypt’s then-president Hosni Mubarak in power and even spoke to him on the phone after the powerful Egyptian was pushed shame-facedly from office.Born in Basra, Iraq in 1936, Fuad, Ben-Eliezer's given name, made aliya with his family in 1950 and spoke fluent Arabic as well as Hebrew and English. He has been a member of the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th Knessets and has been in the Labor Party since 1991. Previously he was in Yahad in 1984 and soon joined the Alignment from that year until 1991. Ben-Eliezer has served in various ministerial posts including defense minister; minister of industry, trade and labor; minister of national infrastructure; deputy prime minister; minister of communications; and minister of housing and construction. For much of the time, he was loyal to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, but in recent times sharply criticized and then broke with him, leaving Barak in the new Atzmaut Party and himself resigning from the government.Previous to joining political life, Ben-Eliezer worked in the Israel Defense Forces from 1954 and became a career soldier. He served as a commander in the Six Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973 and was wounded in the War of Attrition. In 1977, he was appointed first commanding officer in southern Lebanon, serving at the army liaison between the Lebanese Christian militias and Israel and serving as military governor of Judea and Samaria from 1978 to 1981. He was also coordinator of government activities in the territories in 1983-4. He finished his military service with the rank of brigadier general and was first elected to parliament in 1984 as a Yahad MK, which soon merged with the Alignment.In recent years he has been an "elder statesmen" and has even been offered high posts in Labor. He won the Labor Party leadership election in 2001 only to lose the leadership post one year later to Amram Mitzna. Ben-Eliezer has been a hawk in defense matters but more left-wing politically, calling for a compromise in final-status talks.Assaf Harofe director-general Dr. Benny Davidson said Ben-Eliezer’s condition was "not simple" because of his age and medical history. His life may be in danger, but the hospital spokeswoman officially released only two sentences of dry information.