Orna Barbivai
Orna Barbivai | |
---|---|
Ministerial roles | |
2021– | Minister of Economy |
Faction represented in the Knesset | |
2019–2020 | Blue and White |
2020–2021 | Yesh Atid |
Personal details | |
Born | Ramla, Israel | 5 September 1962
Military service | |
Allegiance | Israel |
Branch/service | Israel Defense Forces |
Years of service | 1981–2014 |
Rank | Aluf (Major general) |
Unit | Manpower Directorate |
Commands |
|
Orna Barbivai (Hebrew: אוֹרְנָה בַּרְבִּיבַאי; born 5 September 1962) is the current Minister of Economy, a retired Major General in the Israel Defense Forces, and the former head of its Manpower Directorate. She was the first woman to be made Major-general (Aluf), the IDF's second highest rank. On 1 January 2019, she announced that she would enter politics and seek a Knesset seat on the list of Yesh Atid,[2][3][4][5] which she won as part of the Blue and White slate. Her place in the Knesset was taken by Yasmin Fridman.
Biography[]
Growing up in a family of eight children in Afula, Israel, Barbivai is the daughter of Tzila, a Jewish immigrant from Iraq, and Eli Shochetman, a Jewish immigrant from Romania. She was drafted into the IDF in 1981, and has spent her entire career as an officer in the Manpower Directorate.[3] Barbivai holds a bachelor's degree in Social Sciences and Humanities from Ben Gurion University, and a Master of Business Administration Degree from Haifa University. She is also the graduate of the "Turn-point" administration course for senior military officials.[1]
She is married to Moshe Barbivai, and they have three children. They live in Tel Aviv.
Military career[]
Barbivai was the first female to hold the IDF positions of Chief Adjutant Officer of a Command, Chief Adjutant Officer, Head of the Ground Forces' manpower section, and head of the Individuals' Sector in the Manpower Directorate.[1]
On 26 May 2011, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved her appointment as head of the IDF's Manpower Directorate, replacing Maj. Gen. Avi Zamir. The promotion of Barbivai, a mother of three, to the rank of Major General was praised by Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni, who said that "there is no rank that is too heavy for a woman's shoulders, and there is no doubt that Brig.-Gen. Barbivai was appointed because of her talents".[3]
On 23 June 2011, Barbivai received her Maj. Gen. ranks and the Manpower Directorate (AKA) command during an official ceremony at the Chief of Staff headquarters in Camp Rabin.[6] In October 2014, after 33 years of active military service, Barbivai retired from the IDF.
Political career[]
This section needs to be updated.(April 2021) |
In January 2019, the general announced her intention to enter politics, and she later joined Yesh Atid, where she announced that she will run for a Knesset seat in the upcoming April 2019 Knesset election.[5] She is number ten on the Knesset list of candidates for the "Blue and White" party, the united slate of the Israel Resilience Party, Yesh Atid, and Telem.[7] On 30 March 2020 M.K. Barbivai criticized M.K. Gantz, "[your] entering a government under Netanyahu 'went against every promise you gave voters, against every promise you gave us, against the alternative [we offered] to the Israeli public that you broke up single-handedly'."[8]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "ראש אגף כוח אדם - אלופה אורנה ברביבאי" [Head of Manpower Directorate - Maj. Gen. Orna Barbivai] (in Hebrew). IDF Spokesperson's Unit. 18 May 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
- ^ Greenberg, Hanan (26 May 2011). "IDF names first female major general". Ynet.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Katz, Yaakov (26 May 2011). "IDF makes history: First woman to be made major general". The Jerusalem Post.
- ^ "Brig. Gen. Orna Barbivay to be first woman major general in IDF" (Press release). Israel Defense Forces. 26 May 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Harkov, Lahav (1 January 2019). "IDF's First Female General Will Join Yesh Atid". The Jerusalem Post.
- ^ Piotrkovsky, Shlomo (23 June 2011). "אורנה ברביבאי הועלתה לדרגת אלוף" [Orna Barbivai raised to Aluf rank]. Arutz Sheva (in Hebrew). Retrieved 14 August 2011.
- ^ T. O. I. staff; Wootliff, Raoul. "United Gantz-Lapid party to be called 'Blue and White'; no women in top 6". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- ^ "Chairing his first full Knesset session, Gantz faces assaults from former allies". The Times of Israel. 31 March 2020.
- 1962 births
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev alumni
- Female generals of Israel
- Female army generals
- Israeli Jews
- Living people
- People from Ramla
- People from Afula
- Israeli people of Iraqi-Jewish descent
- Israeli people of Romanian-Jewish descent
- Yesh Atid politicians
- Members of the 21st Knesset (2019)
- Members of the 22nd Knesset (2019–2020)
- Members of the 23rd Knesset (2020–2021)
- Members of the 24th Knesset (2021–present)
- Women government ministers of Israel