Leader of the Opposition (Israel)

Leader of the Opposition יוֹשֵׁב רֹאשׁ הַאוֹפּוֹזִיצְיָה‎ Yoshev Rosh Ha-Opozitzya
Incumbent Yair Lapid since 17 May 2020
Term length	While leader of the largest political party not in government
First holder	Meir Ya'ari

The Leader of the Opposition (Hebrew: רֹאשׁ הַאוֹפּוֹזִיצְיָה‎, Rosh HaOpozitzya) is the politician who leads the Official Opposition in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. The Leader of the Opposition is by convention the leader of the largest political party not supporting the government.

History

Informal role, until 2000

Until 2000, the role of the Opposition Leader was not an official position, but rather an honorary role. The Leader of the Opposition was the leader of the largest party not in government. This was either Likud or Labor, with short exceptions during national unity governments of 1967–1970 and 1984–1990.

Even with the absence of a law defining the role of the Opposition Leader, it was customary for the Prime Minister to hold regular meetings with the leader of the largest opposition party. However, it was carried out only at the prerogative of the Prime Minister.

Formalised role, post-2000

In early 2000, two bills to amend the Opposition Leader's status were submitted to the Knesset, one by the government and one by MK Uzi Landau. The bills were merged into one amendment, and on 17 July 2000, the Knesset approved Amendment 8 to the "Knesset Law" of 1994, adding chapter 6 that outlined the role of the Leader of the Opposition. The law stipulates the selection of the Opposition Leader, the method of their replacement, regulates their ceremonial role in various official events, and obliges the prime minister to update them once a month. The law also stipulates that the Opposition Leader's salary will be determined by Knesset committee, and shall not be lower than a salary of a Cabinet minister.

List of Opposition leaders

Leaders of the largest opposition party

Name (Birth–Death)		Portrait	Party	Term
	Meir Ya'ari מאיר יערי‎ (1897–1987)	60px	Mapam	1949 – 1951
	Peretz Bernstein פרץ ברנשטיין‎ (1890–1971)		General Zionists	1951 – 1952
	Meir Ya'ari מאיר יערי‎ (1897–1987)	60px	Mapam	1952 – 1955
	Peretz Bernstein פרץ ברנשטיין‎ (1890–1971)		General Zionists	1955
style="background:Template:Herut/meta/color; color:white;" |	Menachem Begin מנחם בגין‎ (1913–1992)	60px	Herut/Gahal	1955 – 1967
	Meir Ya'ari מאיר יערי‎ (1897–1987)	60px	Mapam	1967 – 1969
	Yitzhak-Meir Levin יצחק-מאיר לוין‎ (1893–1971)	60px	Agudat Yisrael	1969 – 1970
	Menachem Begin מנחם בגין‎ (1913–1992)	60px	Likud	1970 – 1977
	Shimon Peres שמעון פרס‎ (1923–2016)		Alignment	1977 – 1984
	Yuval Ne'eman יובל נאמן‎ (1925–2006)	60px	Tehiya	1984 – 1988
	Shulamit Aloni שולמית אלוני‎ (1928–2014)	60px	Ratz	1988 – 1990
	Shimon Peres שמעון פרס‎ (1923–2016)		Labor	1990 – 1992
	Yitzhak Shamir יצחק שמיר‎ (1915–2012)		Likud	1992 – 1993
	Benjamin Netanyahu בנימין נתניהו‎ (born 1949)		Likud	1993 – 1996
	Shimon Peres שמעון פרס‎ (1923–2016)		Labor	1996 – 1997
	Ehud Barak אהוד ברק‎ (born 1942)	60px	Labor	1997 – 1999
	Ariel Sharon אריאל שרון‎ (1928–2014)		Likud	1999 – 2000

Designated Opposition Leaders

After Amendment 8 to the "Knesset law" of 1994 was passed, the Leader of the Opposition became the person elected by the largest faction of the opposition.

Name (Birth–Death)		Portrait	Party	Term
	Ariel Sharon אריאל שרון‎ (1928–2014)		Likud	30 July 2000 – 7 March 2001
	Yossi Sarid יוסי שריד‎ (1940–2015)	60px	Meretz	7 March 2001 – 4 November 2002
	Binyamin Ben-Eliezer בנימין בן אליעזר‎ (1936–2016)		Labor	4 November 2002 – 28 February 2003
	Amram Mitzna עמרם מצנע‎ (born 1945)	60px	Labor	28 February 2003 – 13 May 2003
	Dalia Itzik דליה איציק‎ (born 1952)		Labor	13 May 2003 – 25 June 2003
	Shimon Peres שמעון פרס‎ (1923–2016)		Labor	25 June 2003 – 10 January 2005
	Yosef Lapid יוסף לפיד‎ (1931–2008)	60px	Shinui	10 January 2005 – 23 November 2005
	Amir Peretz עמיר פרץ‎ (born 1952)	60px	Labor	23 November 2005 – 16 January 2006
	Benjamin Netanyahu בנימין נתניהו‎ (born 1949)		Likud	16 January 2006 – 6 April 2009
	Tzipi Livni ציפי לבני‎ (born 1958)	60px	Kadima	6 April 2009 – 2 April 2012
	Shaul Mofaz שאול מופז‎ (born 1948)		Kadima	2 April 2012 – 9 May 2012
	Shelly Yachimovich שלי יחימוביץ׳‎ (born 1960)	60px	Labor	9 May 2012 – 23 July 2012
	Shaul Mofaz שאול מופז‎ (born 1948)		Kadima	23 July 2012 – 5 February 2013
	Shelly Yachimovich שלי יחימוביץ׳‎ (born 1960)	60px	Labor	5 February 2013 – 25 November 2013
	Isaac Herzog יצחק הרצוג‎ (1960–)		Zionist Union (Labor)	25 November 2013 – 31 July 2018
	Tzipi Livni ציפי לבני‎ (born 1958)	60px	Zionist Union (Hatnuah)	1 August 2018 – 1 January 2019
	Shelly Yachimovich שלי יחימוביץ׳‎ (born 1960)	60px	Labor	1 January 2019 – 30 April 2019
	Vacant			30 April 2019 – 17 May 2020
	Yair Lapid יאיר לפיד‎ (born 1963)		Yesh Atid-Telem (Yesh Atid)	17 May 2020 – present

External links

• Chapter 6: Leader of the Opposition, The Knesset law of 1994 Wikisource