Dalia Itzik

Knesset Speaker

(Born 1952)

Dalia Itzik was born in Jerusalem in 1952.

She received a B.A. in Literature and History from the Hebrew University and a Teacher's Diploma from the Efrata Teachers Seminary in Jerusalem. She received a Law Degree from the Interdisciplinary Centre in Herzliya.

Elected to the Knesset in 1992, she has served on the Knesset Finance Committee (1992-96); the Education and Culture Committee (1992-99), which she chaired from March 1995 to June 1996; and the Committee on the Status of Women (1992-99). She also served as chairperson of the Special Committee for Research and Scientific Technological Development (July 1997-June 1999).

Dalia Itzik served as Minister of the Environment from July 1999 until March 2001.

She served as Minister of Industry and Trade from March 2001 until October 2002, when he resigned from the government together with the other Labour ministers.

In January 2005, Dalia Itzik was appointed Minister of Communications.

Following the Labour primary elections in December 2005, Itzik left the party and joined newly established Kadima.

In May 2006 Dalia Itzik was selected Speaker of the Knesset.

On January 25, 2007, Israeli President Moshe Katsav was granted a temporary suspension of three months. During that time, Itzik was named acting president during his suspension.

She is married and the mother of three.

(Source: Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs)