1998 in Israel

← 1997 1996 1995 1998 in Israel → 1999 2000 2001
Decades:	1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
See also:	Other events of 1998 List of years in Israel Timeline of the region of Palestine Timeline of Israeli history

Events in the year 1998 in Israel.

Incumbents

• Prime Minister of Israel – Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud)
• President of Israel – Ezer Weizman
• Chief of General Staff - Amnon Lipkin-Shahak until 9 July, Shaul Mofaz
• Government of Israel - 27th Government of Israel

Events

• 22 January – The launch of the Israeli reconnaissance satellite Ofek-4 fails.
• 1 April – The Azrieli Center complex of skyscrapers officially opens, becoming the tallest building in Israel (Azrieli Center Circular Tower stands at 187 m).
• 9 May – Dana International, a transsexual Israeli pop singer, wins the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 held in Birmingham, UK with the song "Diva".
• 9 July – Shaul Mofaz, is appointed as the 16th Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces.
• 26 November – Miss Israel, Linor Abargil, wins the title of Miss World 1998.

• 

  Dana International wins the Eurovision Song Contest

• 

  The Azrieli Center complex of skyscrapers officially opens, becoming the tallest building in Israel (Azrieli Center Circular Tower stands at 187 m).

Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu sitting with Madeleine Albright and Yassir Arafat at the Wye River Memorandum, 16 October 1998

The most prominent events related to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict which occurred during 1998 include:

• 23 October – Benjamin Netanyahu and Yasser Arafat sign the Wye River Memorandum which details the steps to be taken by the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority to implement the earlier Interim Agreement of 1995.

Notable Palestinian militant operations against Israeli targets

Main articles: Palestinian political violence § Oslo Accords to Camp David Summit (1993–2000), and List of Palestinian suicide attacks § 1998 (2 bombings)

The most prominent Palestinian militant acts and operations committed against Israeli targets during 1998 include:

• 29 October – Kfar Darom bombing
• 6 November – Jerusalem bombing

Notable Israeli military operations against Palestinian militancy targets
The most prominent Israeli military counter-terrorism operations (military campaigns and military operations) carried out against Palestinian militants during 1998 include:

Unknown dates

• The founding of the communal settlement Ahuzat Barak.

Notable births

• 13 June - Abdallah El Akal, actor
• 2 November - Nadav Guedj, singer

Notable deaths

• 20 January – Zevulun Hammer (b. 1936), Israeli politician.
• 10 March - Rabbi Hayim David HaLevi (b. 1924), Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv.
• 14 May – Yitzhak Modai (b. 1926), Israeli politician.
• 16 May – Idov Cohen (b. 1909), Romanian-born Israeli politician.
• 20 May – Jacob Katz (b. 1904), Hungarian-born Israeli historian.
• 13 June – Nissim Aloni (b. 1926), Israeli playwright.
• 29 September – Nechama Hendel (b. 1936), Israeli singer, actress, guitarist and entertainer.

See also

• 1998 in Israeli film
• 1998 in Israeli television
• 1998 in Israeli music
• 1998 in Israeli sport
• Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998
• Israel at the 1998 Winter Olympics

External links

• IDF History in 1998 @ dover.idf.il