Shmuel Rechtman ( he, שמואל רכטמן, born 1924, died 23 July 1988) was an Israeli politician who served as mayor of

Rehovot Rehovot ( he, רְחוֹבוֹת ''Rəḥōvōt'', ar, رحوڤوت ''Reḥūfūt'') is a city in the Central District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. In it had a population of . Etymology Israel Belkind, founder of the Bilu movement, ...

from 1970 until 1979, and as a member of the

Knesset The Knesset ( he, הַכְּנֶסֶת ; "gathering" or "assembly") is the unicameral legislature of Israel. As the supreme state body, the Knesset is sovereign and thus has complete control of the entirety of the Israeli government (with ...

for

Likud Likud ( he, הַלִּיכּוּד, HaLikud, The Consolidation), officially known as Likud – National Liberal Movement, is a major centre-right to right-wing political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon ...

between 1977 and 1979.

Biography

Born in

during the Mandate era, Rechtman worked as the administrative director of the

Kfar Silver Kfar Silver ( he, כְּפַר סִילְבֶר, , Silver Village) is a youth village in southern Israel. Located near Ashkelon, the village falls under the jurisdiction of Hof Ashkelon Regional Council. In it had a population of . History The ...

agricultural high school. He joined the

General Zionists The General Zionists ( he, הַצִיּוֹנִים הַכְּלָלִיים, translit. ''HaTzionim HaKlaliym'') were a centrist Zionist movement and a political party in Israel. The General Zionists supported the leadership of Chaim Weizmann an ...

in 1949, and was one of the heads of the Liberal Workers Union. After the General Zionists merged into the Liberal Party in 1961, Rechtman became chairman of the party's national council. He was elected onto Rehovot city council in 1965, and in 1970 he became mayor. In 1976 he became a member of the Likud directorate (the party was then an alliance of the Liberal Party,

Herut Herut ( he, חֵרוּת, ''Freedom'') was the major conservative nationalist political party in Israel from 1948 until its formal merger into Likud in 1988. It was an adherent of Revisionist Zionism. History Herut was founded by Menachem Begin ...

and other right-wing parties), and was also chairman of the Likud bloc in the

Histadrut Histadrut, or the General Organization of Workers in Israel, originally ( he, ההסתדרות הכללית של העובדים בארץ ישראל, ''HaHistadrut HaKlalit shel HaOvdim B'Eretz Yisrael''), is Israel's national trade union center ...

trade union. He was elected to the Knesset on the Likud list in

1977 Events January * January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democratic R ...

. However, early in the Knesset session he was charged with taking bribes from a building contractor.American Jewish Yearbook 1980
p270 Following a vote held by Rechtman's consent, his parliamentary immunity was withdrawn. In January 1978 he was found guilty and sentenced to three and a half years in prison. He appealed to the

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

, and continued in the Knesset until his appeal was dismissed. He resigned his seat on 18 June 1979, and was replaced by David Stern.Knesset Members of the Ninth Knesset
Knesset website He also stepped down as mayor of Rehovot and left the Likud directorate. He was later imprisoned, becoming the first member of the Knesset to be jailed.Shmuel Rechtman: Public activities
Knesset website Rechtman died on 23 July 1988.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rechtman, Shmuel 1924 births 1988 deaths General Zionists politicians Israeli government officials convicted of crimes Israeli people convicted of bribery Israeli politicians convicted of corruption Israeli prisoners and detainees Israeli trade unionists Jews in Mandatory Palestine Jewish Israeli politicians Liberal Party (Israel) politicians Likud politicians Mayors of places in Israel Members of the 9th Knesset (1977–1981) People from Rehovot Prisoners and detainees of Israel Israeli politicians convicted of crimes

Biography

See also

References

External links