Amir Ohana

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = Amir Ohana - Official.jpg

| caption = Ohana in 2023

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|3|15|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Beersheba, Israel

| office1 = Ministerial roles

| suboffice1 = Minister of Justice

| subterm1 = 2019–2020

| suboffice2 = Minister of Public Security

| subterm2 = 2020–2021

| office3 = Faction represented in the Knesset

| subterm3 = 2015–2020

| suboffice3 = Likud

| subterm4 = 2021–

| suboffice4 = Likud

| office5 = Other roles

| suboffice5 = Speaker of the Knesset

| subterm5 = 2022–

| native_name_lang = he

| native_name = אמיר אוחנה

}}

Amir Ohana ({{langx|he|אָמִיר אוֹחָנָה}}; born 15 March 1976) is an Israeli lawyer, former Shin Bet official and politician who has served as the Speaker of the Knesset since 2022, and as a member of the Knesset for Likud. He previously held the posts of Minister of Justice and Minister of Public Security. He was the first openly gay right-wing member of the Knesset and the first openly gay man from Likud to serve in the Knesset.{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.692936|title=Likud's First Openly Gay Lawmaker to Be Sworn in Following Silvan Shalom's Resignation|newspaper=Haaretz|date=21 December 2015}} He is also the first openly gay person to be appointed as a minister in the Israeli government{{Cite news |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5520991,00.html |title=Netanyahu names Amir Ohana as new justice minister |date=6 May 2019 |website=Yedioth Ahronoth |access-date=6 June 2019}} and the first openly gay Speaker of the Knesset.{{cite news|date=29 December 2022|first=Carrie|last=Keller-Lynn|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/likuds-amir-ohana-becomes-israels-first-openly-gay-knesset-speaker/|title=Likud's Amir Ohana becomes Israel's first openly gay Knesset speaker|access-date=30 December 2022|work=The Times of Israel}}

Early life

Ohana was born in Beersheba, the third son of Meir and Esther Ohana, Maghrebi Jewish immigrants from Morocco. In his youth his family moved to Lehavim and then to Rishon LeZion. He served in the Israel Defense Forces as a road accident investigator in the Military Police. He served as part of a force securing traffic arteries in the Gaza Strip and as a road accident investigator in southern Israel, completed an officer's course and was a commander of the Karni crossing. He also commanded a military police base. Ohana served a total of six years of regular service in the IDF,

and is still a reservist. After leaving regular military service he served in Shin Bet for another six years.{{cite web |title=Knesset Member, Amir Ohana |url=https://www.knesset.gov.il/mk/eng/mk_eng.asp?mk_individual_id_t=953 |website=www.knesset.gov.il}}{{cite news |last1=Hoare |first1=Liam |title=Israel's First Openly Gay Likud Lawmaker on Being in a Coalition With Anti-Gay Parties |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2016/01/19/amir_ohana_likud_s_first_openly_gay_knesset_member_interviewed.html |work=Slate |date=19 January 2016}}

Ohana studied law at the College of Management Academic Studies and, after earning an LLB, interned with the Israeli Justice Ministry in the State Prosecutor's Office. He then worked as a lawyer in criminal law for a decade.

Political career

File:Amir Ohana.jpg parade in 2015]]

The chairman of the Likud gay caucus Likud Pride,[http://kol-oleh.evolero.com/meet-the-candidates/profile/35449/amir-ohana Amir Ohana] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222144313/http://kol-oleh.evolero.com/meet-the-candidates/profile/35449/amir-ohana |date=22 December 2015 }} Kol Oleh{{cite web |title=Amir Ohana Public Activities|url=https://www.knesset.gov.il/mk/eng/mk_eng.asp?mk_individual_id_t=953 |website=www.knesset.gov.il}} Ohana gained 32nd slot on the Likud list for the 2015 Knesset elections in the party primaries, a place reserved for a member from Tel Aviv District. Although he failed to gain a seat when the party won 30 seats, he moved to 31st spot after minister and MK Danny Danon resigned from the Knesset to assume position of Israel's envoy to the UN. Ohana eventually entered the Knesset on 27 December 2015 as a replacement for Silvan Shalom after he resigned amidst a sexual harassment scandal.{{cite news|first=Kate|last=Shuttleworth|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/20/israeli-vice-premier-resigns-over-sexual-harassment-allegations|title=Silvan Shalom's replacement to be Likud's first openly gay Knesset member|newspaper=The Guardian|date=20 December 2015|accessdate=8 March 2023}} During his first term in the Knesset he served as a member of the Finance Committee and the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, as well chairing the Lobby for Shaping the Gun-Carrying Policy in Israel and joining the Lobby for Medical Cannabis. He also became co-chair the Israel–Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group.{{cite web|url=https://www.knesset.gov.il/mk/eng/mk_eng.asp?mk_individual_id_t=953|title=Amir Ohana: Knesset Activities|publisher=Knesset|accessdate=8 March 2023}}

After being re-elected in the April 2019 elections he was appointed Minister of Justice in June, becoming the first openly LGBT individual to serve in the government. His appointment came after controversial comments from Bezalel Smotrich, another contender for the office, saying that he would like to establish a halachic state governed by Jewish religious law.{{cite news |title=Netanyahu appoints Amir Ohana justice minister, first openly gay cabinet member |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-appoints-loyalist-amir-ohana-as-justice-minister/ |access-date=5 June 2019 |work=The Times of Israel|date=5 June 2019}} Ohana was considered a Netanyahu loyalist and supported exempting the prime minister from prosecution in the Netanyahu corruption investigations. He was re-elected in September 2019 and March 2020. In May 2020 he was appointed Minister of Public Security in the new government.{{cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/.premium-israel-s-biggest-government-set-to-be-sworn-in-this-is-what-it-would-look-like-1.8845810|title=After Year of Deadlock and Days of Delays, Knesset Swears in New Israeli Government|newspaper=Haaretz|date=17 May 2020}} In that role, he deprioritized Palestinian prisoners in Israel's COVID-19 vaccination priority list.{{Cite news |last=Robertson |first=Dylan |date=3 March 2023 |title=Three senators face criticism over trip to Israel, meeting with right-wing politician |work=CTV News |agency=The Canadian Press |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/three-senators-face-criticism-over-trip-to-israel-meeting-with-right-wing-politician-1.6298068 |access-date=3 March 2023}}

In July 2020 he resigned from the Knesset under the Norwegian Law and was replaced by Amit Halevi.

For the 2021 elections Ohana was placed eighteenth on Likud's list,{{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/israel-election-2021-all-the-official-party-lists-so-far-1.9508075|title=Israel Election 2021: All the Official Party Slates|work=Haaretz|date=3 February 2021|accessdate=10 April 2021}} and returned to the Knesset as Likud won 30 seats.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/reform-rabbi-kahanist-agitator-firebrand-novelist-welcome-to-the-24th-knesset/|title=Reform rabbi, Kahanist agitator, firebrand writer: The new Knesset's 16 rookies|work=The Times of Israel|date=26 March 2021|accessdate=10 April 2021|first1=Raoul|last1=Wootliff|first2=Jacob|last2=Magid}} He left the cabinet after a new government was formed, with Likud going into opposition.

On 22 November 2022 it was reported that Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu was considering appointing Ohana as Foreign Minister of Israel in Netanyahu's incoming government.{{Cite web |date=22 November 2022 |title=Likud's Amir Ohana may become Foreign Minister, in place of Ron Dermer |url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363229 |access-date=23 November 2022 |website=Israel National News |language=en}} Ohana was ultimately elected Speaker of the Knesset on 29 December, becoming the first openly LGBT Speaker in Israeli history.{{Cite web |title=עכשיו זה רשמי: אמיר אוחנה נבחר כיו"ר הכנסת |url=https://www.srugim.co.il/747518-%d7%a2%d7%9b%d7%a9%d7%99%d7%95-%d7%96%d7%94-%d7%a8%d7%a9%d7%9e%d7%99-%d7%90%d7%9e%d7%99%d7%a8-%d7%90%d7%95%d7%97%d7%a0%d7%94-%d7%a0%d7%91%d7%97%d7%a8-%d7%9b%d7%99%d7%95%d7%a8-%d7%94%d7%9b%d7%a0 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=סרוגים |language=he}} After his election, he became the target of homophobic verbal attacks from some rabbis and Haredi MKs.{{Cite web |date=4 January 2023 |title=Likud MK urges colleagues to defend new Knesset speaker from homophobic attacks |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/likud-mk-urges-colleagues-to-defend-new-knesset-speaker-from-homophobic-attacks/ |access-date=4 January 2023 |website=The Times of Israel |language=en}}

Views and opinions

Ohana is a supporter of loosening the policy on carrying firearms in Israel in order to allow more armed people on streets for prevention and fast reaction to terror attacks.{{cite web | url=http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Gun-control-445111 | title=Gun control | work=The Jerusalem Post|date=16 February 2016 | access-date=17 February 2016}} After entering the Knesset, Ohana inaugurated the caucus to lobby and promote this cause.{{cite web | url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/freshman-likud-mk-inaugurates-knesset-caucus-on-gun-rights/ | title=Freshman Likud MK inaugurates Knesset caucus on gun rights|work=The Times of Israel|date=15 February 2016| access-date=17 February 2016}}

When opposition members of Knesset in February 2016 proposed several bills intended to improve the gay community's status such as recognizing bereaved widowers, banning conversion therapy, recognizing same-sex marriage contracts and to train health professionals to deal with gender and sexual orientation issues, Ohana left the session without voting; he said he could not vote against these bills, but he did not want to violate the party line.{{cite news|first=Jonathan|last=Lis|url=http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.705338|title=Knesset Scraps Bills for LGBT Community After Marking Gay Rights Day|newspaper=Haaretz|date=25 February 2016}}

In 2018, he authored and voted for an amendment to Israel's surrogacy law to extend rights to same-sex couples and men.[https://www.jta.org/2018/11/01/israel/knesset-rejects-bill-that-would-allow-same-sex-couples-to-have-children-through-surrogates Knesset rejects bill that would allow same-sex couples to have children through surrogates] The Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 1 November 2018[https://www.jta.org/2019/06/06/israel/israels-first-gay-government-minister-is-loyal-to-the-prime-minister Israel has its first gay government minister. He’s loyal to Netanyahu.] The Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 6 June 2019 In the same year he voted for a bill prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.[https://www.jta.org/2018/06/21/israel/bill-banning-discrimination-sexual-orientation-gets-preliminary-knesset-approval Knesset advances bill banning discrimination based on gender or sexual identity] The Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 21 June 2018 In 2020, he defied the Likud party line by voting for legislation to ban gay conversion therapy.[https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/israels-government-coalition-teeters-after-vote-to-ban-gay-conversion-therapy Israel’s government coalition teeters after vote to ban gay conversion therapy] The Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 22 July 2020 In 2023, he publicly supported Yair Cherki, an Orthodox religious affairs correspondent, who came out as gay.[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-731742 Reporter Yair Cherki wants fellow haredim to understand that he’s gay] The Jerusalem Post. 16 February 2023

Ohana has given media interviews in which he described Muslims as likely to have "cultural murderousness".

He is a board member of Tadmor – Eretz Yisrael loyalists group within Likud.

Personal life

Ohana and his husband Alon Hadad have a son and a daughter, both born through a surrogate mother in the US state of Oregon.{{Cite web |last=Press |first=Viva Sarah |date=2016-01-06 |title=Likud Pride steps into the spotlight |url=https://www.israel21c.org/likud-pride-steps-into-the-spotlight/ |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=ISRAEL21c |language=en-US}}{{cite web | url=http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/politics-and-military/politics/knesset-to-welcome-in-amir-ohana-first-right-wing-openly-gay-mk-17908 | title=Knesset to welcome in Amir Ohana, first right-wing openly gay MK | publisher=Jerusalem Online | access-date=21 December 2015 | author=Omri Ariel | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224100742/https://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/politics-and-military/politics/knesset-to-welcome-in-amir-ohana-first-right-wing-openly-gay-mk-17908 | archive-date=24 December 2015 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.israel21c.org/likud-pride-steps-into-the-spotlight/|title=Likud Pride steps into the spotlight|work=Israel21c|access-date=2017-07-23|language=en-US}} They live in Tel Aviv.{{MKlink|id=953}}

He and his partner reportedly attend Tel Aviv Pride.[https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/tel-aviv-pride-parade-draws-250000-participants Tel Aviv Pride Parade draws 250,000 participants] The Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 14 June 2019