Date of birth 4 April 1944 Role Politician Name Yehudit Naot | 1999–2006 Shinui Place of death Haifa, Israel Party Shinui | |
Place of birth Kiryat Haim, Mandatory Palestine Date of death 16 December 2004 (2004-12-17) (aged 60) 2003–2004 Minister of the Environment Died December 16, 2004, Haifa, Israel Knessets Israeli general election, 1999 | ||
Professor Yehudit Naot (Hebrew: יהודית נאות, 4 April 1944 – 16 December 2004) was an Israeli scientist and politician. She served as Minister of the Environment between February 2003 and October 2004.
Biography
Born in Kiryat Haim during the Mandate era, Naot gained a BSc in chemistry and a PhD in biology from the Technion. She went on to work in the medical department at the university, and became a professor.
In 1975 she was amongst the founders of Shinui. She was elected to Haifa's local council in 1978, though she left it in 1979. She returned to the council several times, serving from 1983 to 1987, from 1989 to 1993, and from 1993 to 1997. She also served as the city's deputy mayor between 1989 and 1991 and again from 1993 until 1996.
In 1999 she was elected to the Knesset as the third-placed candidate on Shinui's list, and became a Deputy Speaker of the Knesset. After retaining her seat in the 2003 elections, she was appointed Minister of the Environment in Ariel Sharon's government. She resigned from the cabinet in October 2004 due to deteriorating health, but continued to serve as an MK until her death in December that year. She died from throat cancer, linked to her smoking.
Naot was married and had three children.