Amir Ohana

Amir Ohana
Avi Ohayon · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Amir Ohana
Native name	אמיר אוחנה
Birth date	15 March 1976
Birth place	Beer Sheva, Israel
Office	Member of the Knesset
Party	Likud
Alma mater	Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Occupation	Politician, Lawyer

Amir Ohana is an Israeli politician and lawyer who has served as a member of the Knesset for the Likud and held ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Justice. He is notable for being the first openly gay individual to hold several senior posts in Israeli national politics, and for his background as a former Shin Bet legal adviser and a member of the Israel Defense Forces reserves. Ohana's career intersects with key institutions, parties, and legal debates in contemporary Israeli public life.

Early life and education

Ohana was born in Beer Sheva, Israel into a family with roots in Morocco. He completed mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces and later served as an officer and legal adviser in the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and as a reservist in the Military Intelligence Directorate. He studied law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he earned his law degree and later practiced as a public prosecutor in the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office and as a criminal prosecutor in matters involving national security and cybercrime. During his education and early career he engaged with legal institutions such as the Supreme Court of Israel, the Ministry of Justice, and the State Attorney's Office.

Legal and political career

Ohana's legal career included roles as a prosecutor and as a legal adviser to the Shin Bet, where he handled cases that connected to counterterrorism and national security law. Transitioning to electoral politics, he joined the Likud and was elected to the Knesset in the early 2010s as part of the party list led by Benjamin Netanyahu. In the Knesset, he served on committees including the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and committees addressing internal security and civil liberties. Ohana also acted within parliamentary groups and caucuses, interacting with figures from parties such as Yesh Atid, Blue and White, and Yisrael Beiteinu while engaging with legislative frameworks like judicial reform proposals and security legislation debated between the Prime Minister of Israel and opposition leaders such as Yair Lapid.

Tenure as Minister of Justice

As Minister of Justice, Ohana oversaw initiatives touching on judicial nominations, criminal law reforms, and the regulatory framework for attorney conduct, working with institutions such as the Israeli Bar Association and the Supreme Court of Israel. His tenure was marked by efforts to alter the balance between the judiciary and the Knesset, proposals that prompted responses from legal scholars at institutions like the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Law and commentators linked to the Israel Democracy Institute. Ohana navigated high-profile cases involving figures such as Benjamin Netanyahu and faced scrutiny from activist groups including Movement for Quality Government in Israel. In administrative work, he liaised with the Ministry of Justice bureaus and the State Attorney's Office on matters of prosecutorial discretion and plea bargaining.

Leadership of the Likud and Knesset role

Within Likud, Ohana rose to prominence as a loyalist of party leadership and took on responsibilities in parliamentary coordination and caucus strategy. He has been involved in internal party contests and worked with senior party figures including Benjamin Netanyahu, Gideon Sa'ar, and other Likud Knesset members. Ohana's roles in the Knesset extended to chairing or participating in legislative initiatives and coalition negotiations with parties across the spectrum, including dealings that implicated United Torah Judaism, Shas, and centrist partners. He also engaged in international parliamentary diplomacy, meeting counterparts from countries represented by parliaments such as the United States Congress, the British Parliament, and the European Parliament.

Political positions and controversies

Ohana's political positions reflect a mix of conservative stances on security and center-right perspectives on civil liberties; he supported measures perceived as strengthening executive authority over judicial review and backed law-and-order policies associated with figures like Avigdor Lieberman and Ariel Sharon in prior decades. His advocacy for judicial changes drew criticism from legal academics at institutions like the University of Haifa and from civil society organizations such as B'Tselem and Peace Now, generating large-scale protests involving groups linked to the Israeli left-wing. Controversies during his career included debates over immunity and indictments affecting senior politicians, clashes with the Supreme Court of Israel regarding judicial independence, and disputes with non-governmental organizations and media outlets such as Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post.

Personal life and public image

Ohana is openly gay and has been a prominent figure in advancing LGBTQ visibility in Israeli politics, interacting with organizations like IGY (Israeli Gay Youth)],] community groups, and civil society activists. His personal narrative—originating in Beer Sheva with Moroccan heritage—has been highlighted in profiles by domestic and international media, including coverage by outlets such as The Times of Israel and Israel Hayom. Ohana maintains a public image as a pragmatic politician aligned with Likud leadership, while drawing both support and criticism from a wide array of institutions and public figures across Israel's political landscape.

Category:Israeli politicians Category:Hebrew University of Jerusalem alumni