Israeli government names 10 ministers with Moroccan roots

Morocco World News is 'kvelling': the new government in Israel is one-third Moroccan. The numbers of  ministers with Moroccan roots exceeds the proportion of Israelis of Moroccan origin - 10 percent, or the second largest community after ex-Soviet Jews.

Orly Levy-Abekassis, Community strengthening and Advancement' minister

Benjamin Netanyahu appointed 34 ministers to form his new government on Sunday, May 17. The list included 10 politicians of Moroccan roots, nearly one third of the government’s members.

 Interior Minister Arye Dery was born in Meknes in 1959, while Economy Minister Amir Peretz was born in Boujad, near Beni Mellal, in 1952.

 Meanwhile, the list of government members with Moroccan parents includes Public Security Minister Amir Ohana, Minister Responsible for the Government-Knesset Liaison David Amsalem, and Jerusalem Affairs Minister Rafi Peretz.

The list also includes Community Strengthening and Advancement Minister Orly Levy-Abekasis, Minister Responsible for Civil Affairs Michael Biton, and Equality Minister Merav Cohen.

 Finally, Minister of Transportation Miri Regev has a Moroccan father and a Spanish mother, while the government coalition’s representative at the Knesset, Miki Zohar, was born to a Moroccan father and a Tunisian mother.

Read article in full


Top civil servant with Iraqi roots: Defence Minister Benny Gantz has appointed Maj reserve . Gen. Amir Eshel and ex commander of Israel Air force as Director-General of the Ministry of Defence.
Eshel was born in Jaffa and grew up in Ramat Gan. His father Yehezekel (Hezi) Eshel (originally Batat), was born in Iraq and immigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1936. His mother Edna was a Holocaust survivor from Russia.