JERUSALEM (JTA) — Veteran Labor Party lawmaker Benjamin Ben-Eliezer resigned from Israel’s Knesset, citing a medical condition.
Ben-Eliezer, a member of the parliament for 30 years, delivered his letter of resignation to Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein on Thursday.
The one-time Labor chairman and defense minister said he was resigning due to the condition, which “takes up most of my time and energy,” Haaretz reported.
Ben-Eliezer, 78, was hospitalized last week. In 2011 he was hospitalized for six weeks with complications from the flu.
In June, Ben-Eliezer pulled out of the race for president following accusations that he illegally received millions of shekels from private sources and used the money to buy a luxury apartment in Jaffa. He is under criminal investigation for the suspected corruption.
A statement issued Thursday by the Labor Party honored “the boy who immigrated on his own from Iraq at a young age, is a fighter on the battlefield and a fighter for peace. … We wish him good health and happiness.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
