Former head of Israel’s Shin Bet becomes new chairman of delegation for relations with European Parliament

By Yossi Lempkowicz, Europe Israel Press Association (EIPA)

A former head of Israel’s General Security Services (Shin Bet), Yaakov Peri (pictured), has become the new chairman of the Knesset delegation for relations with the European Parliament.

A member of Israel’s parliament for the Yesh Atid centrist party, 71-year-old Peri joined this party prior to the 2013 elections. He was elected after which he was appointed minister of science, technology and space in the government led by Benjamin Netanyahu, a post he held until his resignation in December 2014.

He was re-elected in the Knesset after the March 2015 elections but his party is now in the opposition.

Peri headed Shin Bet between 1988 and 1994, after which he entered the business world. From 1995-2003 he was CEO of Cellcom Israel.

A delegation of members of the European Parliament, on a visit to Israel organised by Europe Israel Public Affairs (EIPA), met last week with Peri in Jerusalem. The delegation included Italian MEP Fulvio Martusciello, the Chairman of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with Israel.

”I will do my utmost to strengthen the bilateral relations and to bring to the European Parliament an articulated voice. I am looking forward to working with MEP Fulvio Martusciello on many issues dealing with EU-Israel relations,” Peri, who will receive the delegation in Israel in November, told his counterpart.

As Science, Technology and Space Minister, Yaakov Peri signed last year a key deal with the European Union which enabled Israel to participate in the EU’s flagship €80 billion research and innovation programme known as Horizon 2020.