Place of birth Munich, Germany 1996–1999 Likud Children Gilad Kleiner 1988–1992 Likud Party Likud | 1982–1984 Likud Role Politician Year of aliyah 1951 Name Michael Kleiner | |
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Date of birth (1948-04-04) 4 April 1948 (age 67) Knessets Israeli legislative election, 1981 | ||
Michael Kleiner and Avshalom "Abu" Vilan | Chaney Report
Michael Kleiner (Hebrew: מיכאל קליינר; born 4 April 1948) is an Israeli politician and leader of Herut – The National Movement.
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Biography
Michael Kleiner was born in Munich, Germany, and immigrated to Israel with his family in 1951. In July 2013 he was elected President of the Supreme Court of Netanyahu's Likud party. The Court is the party's highest judicial body in all matters pertaining to its constitution, and party members and divisions are subject to its decisions.
Kleiner first entered the Knesset in 1982 as a Likud parliamentarian but, upon then Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's relinquishing of Hebron to the Palestinian Authority, Kleiner split off from the Likud along with Benny Begin (Menachem Begin's son) and David Re'em to establish Herut – The National Movement, based on the original Herut. The three enjoyed the political support of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir and long-time Revisionist author and original Herut Knesset member Shmuel Katz, which greatly legitimized their use of the name Herut. They initially ran for the 15th Knesset as part of the National Union block together with Tkuma and Moledet but after a poor electoral showing of only four seats, Begin resigned from politics and Kleiner assumed the party's leadership. Eventually breaking off from the National Union, Kleiner and Herut failed to be re-elected in the 2003 election.
Michael Kleiner is known for his uncompromising views on retaining territory reclaimed in the 1967 Six Day War and his attempts at solving Israel's demographic issue. Kleiner's Jewish nationalism stems from the teachings of Zev Jabotinsky.
Michael Kleiner has consistently acted to thwart the Israeli government's destruction of Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip and West Bank although he has failed to garner the policial support of most religious Israeli settlers. He has not been a member of the 16th or 17th Knessets because his party did not meet the minimum vote requirement.
Since 2012 he is a member of the board of directors of the Ghetto Fighters House. He also is a chairman of board of directors in building company "Aura Israel."