Avshalom Vilan

Avshalom "Abu" Vilan (Template:Lang-he, born 11 February 1951) is an Israeli politician and economist. He served as a Knesset member for Meretz between 1999 and 2009.

Biography

Born in kibbutz Negba in 1951, Vilan served in the IDF as a Master Sergeant in Sayeret Matkal, the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit alongside two individuals who would later become prime ministers of Israel: Ehud Barak and Benjamin Netanyahu.

Vilan studied Economics and Philosophy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem after his national service, gaining a BA. He worked as an economist and agriculturalist before becoming an emissary for HaShomer Hatzair and Kibbutz Artzi in 1993. Upon his return to Israel in 1996 he became secretary of Kibbutz Artzi, a role he remained in until 1999.

During his younger years, Vilan played for the Hatzor volleyball team in the national league.

Political career

Vilan had become involved in political activism in the 1970s and was a founding member of Peace Now in 1978. He joined the socialist Mapam, and eventually became party secretary in 1990. When Mapam merged with Ratz and Shinui to form Meretz in 1992, Vilan assumed membership of the new party.

In the 1999 elections Vilan was elected to the Knesset on Meretz's list. During his first term in the Knesset he chaired the Knesset Inquiry Committee on Violence in Sports.

Vilan retained his seat in the 2003 elections and chaired the same committee and also the Lobby for Public Persons as Role Models. He again retained his seat in the 2006 elections.

For two terms, Vilan chaired the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee on Violence in Sports.

Prior to the 2009 elections he won fifth place on the Meretz list. However, he lost his seat when the party was reduced to three mandates.

Vilan lives in kibbutz Negba, and is married with two children. He occasionally writes articles in the Israeli press.

External links

• Avshalom Vilan on the Knesset website