Date of birth 10 September 1916 Name Haim Landau 1965–1974 Gahal | 1949–1965 Herut Year of aliyah 1935 Died October 16, 1981, Israel | |
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Place of birth Krakow, Austria-Hungary Date of death 16 October 1981(1981-10-16) (aged 65) Knessets Israeli legislative election, 1949 | ||
Haim Landau (Hebrew: חיים לנדאו, 10 September 1916 – 16 October 1981) was an Israeli independence fighter, Knesset member and Minister in the government of Menachem Begin.
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Career
Landau was born in Kraków, Austria-Hungary (today in Poland) and made aliyah to Mandate Palestine in 1935. He soon joined Betar and the Irgun and, according to the Irgun website, "took part in reprisals against the Arabs" while still finding time to complete his studies at the Technion as a construction engineer.
By 1940 he was a commander of the Betar branch in Haifa, and in early 1944 was transferred to Tel Aviv and appointed member of the General Headquarters by the end of year. In 1947 he represented the Irgun, together with Begin and Shmuel Katz, at a meeting with the UNSCOP.
Post-independence
Landau was among the founders of the Herut, and was a member of the first to eighth Knessets. He was a member of the Begin cabinet, serving as Minister of Development in 1967–1970 and despite not retaining his seat in the 1977 elections, was made Minister of Transport by Menachem Begin, a role he retained until the 1981 elections. After his death, the Ministry of Transportation renamed Highway 5 after him.