Events in the year 1999 in Israel.

Incumbents

President of Israel The president of the State of Israel (, or ) is the head of state of Israel. The president is mostly, though not entirely, ceremonial; actual executive power is vested in the Cabinet of Israel, cabinet led by the Prime Minister of Israel, pr ...

–

Ezer Weizman Ezer Weizman (, ; 15 June 1924 – 24 April 2005) was an Israeli major general and politician who served as the president of Israel, first elected in 1993 and re-elected in 1998. Before the presidency, Weizman was commander of the Israeli Air ...

Prime Minister of Israel The prime minister of Israel (, Hebrew abbreviations, Hebrew abbreviation: ; , ''Ra'īs al-Ḥukūma'') is the head of government and chief executive of the Israel, State of Israel. Israel is a parliamentary republic with a President of Isra ...

–

Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu (born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who has served as the prime minister of Israel since 2022, having previously held the office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime min ...

(

Likud Likud (, ), officially known as Likud – National Liberal Movement (), is a major Right-wing politics, right-wing, political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon in an alliance with several right-wing par ...

) until 6 July,

Ehud Barak Ehud Barak ( ; born Ehud Brog; 12 February 1942) is an Israeli former general and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Israel, prime minister from 1999 to 2001. He was leader of the Israeli Labor Party, Labor Party between 1997 and 20 ...

(

Israeli Labor Party The Israeli Labor Party (), commonly known in Israel as HaAvoda (), was a Social democracy, social democratic political party in Israel. The party was established in 1968 by a merger of Mapai, Ahdut HaAvoda and Rafi (political party), Rafi. Unt ...

) * President of the Supreme Court –

Aharon Barak Aharon Barak (; born 16 September 1936) is an Israeli lawyer and jurist who served as President of the Supreme Court of Israel from 1995 to 2006. Prior to this, Barak served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Israel from 1978 to 1995, and bef ...

* Chief of General Staff –

Shaul Mofaz Shaul Mofaz (; 4 November 1948) is a retired Israeli military officer and politician. He joined the Israel Defense Forces in 1966 and served in the Paratroopers Brigade. He fought in the Six-Day War, Yom Kippur War, 1982 Lebanon War, and Operati ...

Government of Israel The Cabinet of Israel (; ) is the cabinet which exercises Executive (government), executive authority in the State of Israel. It consists of Minister (government), ministers who are chosen and led by the Prime Minister of Israel, prime ministe ...

– 27th Government of Israel until 6 July, 28th Government of Israel

Events

* 14 February – over 250,000

Orthodox Jews Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as literally revealed by God on Mount Sinai and faithfully tr ...

demonstrate in Jerusalem over a

Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

ruling that

Reform Reform refers to the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The modern usage of the word emerged in the late 18th century and is believed to have originated from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement, which ...

and

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

congregations should have representatives on local religious councils. * 9 March – Rana Arslan becomes the first

Israeli Arab The Arab citizens of Israel form the country's largest ethnic minority. Their community mainly consists of former Palestinian Citizenship Order 1925, Mandatory Palestine citizens (and their descendants) who continued to inhabit the territory ...

to win the

Miss Israel Miss Israel (also referred to as , , ) was a national beauty pageant in Israel. The pageant was founded in 1950, where the winners were sent to Miss Universe. History In the late 1920s, a "Esther, Queen Esther Beauty Pageant" was held in Tel Avi ...

pageant. * 17 March –

Aryeh Deri Aryeh Makhlouf Deri (; ), also Arie Deri, Arye Deri, or Arieh Deri (born 17 February 1959), is an Israeli politician and one of the founders of the Shas political party who served as the Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Health, and Minister ...

is convicted of taking bribes while serving as

Interior Minister of Israel The Ministry of Interior (, ''Misrad HaPnim''; ) in the State of Israel is one of the government offices that is responsible for local government, citizenship and residency, identity cards, and student and entry visas. The current Minister i ...

and is sentenced to four years in prison and receives a fine of 250,000 NIS. * 17 May –

is elected prime minister of

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

. * 28 May – A joint U.S.–Israeli search team finds the wreck of the long-lost Israeli submarine

INS Dakar INS ''Dakar'' () was a Diesel–electric transmission, diesel–electric submarine in the Israeli Navy. The vessel, a modified World War II British T-class submarine, had previously been of the Royal Navy. She was purchased by Israel from the G ...

in the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...

. * 29 May – Eden represents Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song “

Yom Huledet "Yom Huledet (Happy Birthday)" (; meaning "Birthday") was the entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1999, performed in Hebrew and English by Eden. The song was written by Yitzhak Baranes, , Jacky Oved, and , and composed by Baranes, Lamai, Oved, ...

” ("Happy Birthday"), held at the

Binyanei HaUma The International Convention Center (, ''Merkaz HaKongresim HaBeinLeumi''), commonly known as Binyanei HaUma (, lit. ''Buildings of the nation''), is a concert hall and convention center in Giv'at Ram in Jerusalem. History Binyanei Ha'Uma was fi ...

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

, following Israel’s win the previous year, achieving fifth place. * 6 July – Prime Minister

presents his cabinet for a

Knesset The Knesset ( , ) is the Unicameralism, unicameral legislature of Israel. The Knesset passes all laws, elects the President of Israel, president and Prime Minister of Israel, prime minister, approves the Cabinet of Israel, cabinet, and supe ...

"Vote of Confidence". The 28th Government is approved that day and the members were sworn in. * 22 August –

Tal committee The Tal Committee was an Israeli public committee appointed on 22 August 1999 which dealt with the special exemption from mandatory military service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) given to Israeli ultra-Orthodox Jews which had been the status ...

: The

prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

and

defense minister A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...

appoint an Israeli public committee, headed by the retired judge Tzvi Tal, to deal with the special exemption from mandatory military service in the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...

given to Israeli Ultra Orthodox Jews.

Israeli–Palestinian conflict

The most prominent events related to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict which occurred during 1999 include: Notable Palestinian militant operations against Israeli targets
The most prominent Palestinian militant acts and operations committed against Israeli targets during 1999 include: * 9 September – Egged Bus 960 bombing and Haifa Central Bus Station bombing Notable Israeli military operations against Palestinian militancy targets
The most prominent Israeli military counter-terrorism operations (

military campaign A military campaign is large-scale long-duration significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of interrelated military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war. The term derives from th ...

s and

military operations A military operation (op) is the coordinated military actions of a state, or a non-state actor, in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state or actor's favor. Operatio ...

) carried out against

Palestinian militants Palestinian political violence refers to acts of violence or terrorism committed by Palestinians with the intent to accomplish political goals in the context of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Common objectives of political violence by Pal ...

during 1999 include:

Notable deaths

* 28 February –

Erez Gerstein Erez Gerstein (; March 13, 1960 – February 28, 1999) was an Israeli Brigadier General (Tat Aluf) who commanded the Israel Defense Forces Lebanon Liaison Unit and died in the South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000) with Hezbollah and Lebanese ...

(b. 1960), commander of the

Golani Brigade The 1st "Golani" Brigade (, ''Hativat Golani'') is an Israeli military infantry brigade. It is subordinated to the 36th Division and traditionally associated with the Northern Command. It is one of the five infantry brigades of the regular Is ...

and

Lebanon Liaison Unit Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

, killed from a roadside bomb in Lebanon. * 27 March –

Nahum Stelmach Nahum Stelmach (; – ) was an Israeli footballer and manager. Biography Stelmach was born in Petah Tikva, Mandate Palestine, British Mandate of Palestine (now Israel), to a Jewish family. He was chosen third by ''Yediot Aharonots greatest Israe ...

(b. 1936), Israeli footballer and manager. * 20 April – Bethsabée de Rothschild (b. 1914), British-born Israeli-French philanthropist. * 18 July –

Meir Ariel Meir Ariel (; 2 March 1942 – 18 July 1999) was an Israeli singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was known as a "man of words" for his poetic use of the Hebrew language in his lyrics. His influences included Hebrew poets such as ibn Gabirol, Na ...

(b. 1942), Israeli singer. * 18 August –

Hanoch Levin Hanoch Levin (; December 18, 1943 – August 18, 1999) was an Israeli dramatist, theater director, author and poet, best known for his plays. His absurdist style is often compared to the work of Harold Pinter and Samuel Beckett. Biography Lev ...

(b. 1943), Israeli playwright, theater director, poet and writer. * 1 October –

Ted Arison Ted Arison (; 24 February 1924 – 1 October 1999) was an Israeli businessman who co-founded Norwegian Cruise Lines in 1966 with Knut Kloster and soon left to form Carnival Cruise Lines in 1972. Early years Arison was born Theodore Aris ...

(b. 1924), Israeli-American businessman. * 15 October –

Yosef Burg Shlomo Joseph Burg (, 31 January 1909 – 15 October 1999) was a German-born Israeli politician. In 1949, he was elected to the first Knesset and served in many ministerial positions for the next 40 years. He was one of the founders of the Nati ...

(b. 1909), German-born Israeli politician and Rabbi. * ''Full date unknown'' ** Shmuel Horowitz (b. 1901), Russian (Belarus)-born Israeli agronomist. **

Shlomo Morag Shlomo Morag, also spelled Shelomo Morag (; July 17, 1926 – September 4, 1999), was an Israeli professor at the department of Hebrew Language at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Morag founded the Jewish Oral Traditions Research Center at the ...

, (b. 1926), Israeli professor of the

Hebrew Language Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and remained in regular use as a first language unti ...

at the

Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; ) is an Israeli public university, public research university based in Jerusalem. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Chaim Weizmann in July 1918, the public university officially opened on 1 April 1925. ...

. ** Zahara Schatz (b.

1916 Events Below, the events of the First World War have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 1 – The British Empire, British Royal Army Medical Corps carries out the first successful blood transfusion, using blood that has been stored ...

Incumbents

Events

Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Notable deaths

Major public holidays

See also

References

External links