Veteran politician and Meretz co-founder Shulamit Aloni died Friday at the age of 85. Aloni died in her home with her family at her side. "Shulamit Aloni was a brave and fearless woman and a courageous champion of justice," Meretz Chairwoman MK Zehava Gal-On said in a statement. "She was, and will forever be, an inspiration for any Israeli who believes in equality and human rights. Aloni was the one to introduce the issue of human rights to the public discourse in Israel, and she turned Israel into a better place to live in with her bare hands. "She never stopped fighting for what she believed in, and her name was synonymous with the values of peace, freedom of oppression, and absolute equality for all, regardless of their race, gender and religion," Gal-On said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Aloni's family on Friday to express his condolences. "I send my condolences to the family. Despite our deep differences over the years, I appreciated her contribution to Israeli society and the determination in which she always stood firmly for her beliefs." Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon also released a statement: "Shulamit Aloni, who passed away this morning, was an important and inextricable part of Israeli society for decades, and her contribution to the democratic discourse in Israel was invaluable. While our political views were fundamentally different, I have always admired her tenacious fight for her convictions, which she always voiced very clearly, as well as her deep concern for Israel's future. "Debating any issue with her was a riveting experience. Her breakthrough fight for human rights and the rights of women instilled a positive change in the nature and character of Israel, and I had the greatest respect for her integrity and modesty. May she rest in peace." President Shimon Peres eulogized Aloni, saying, "She was a champion of peace and human rights and her fight for the rights of women and minorities made an indelible mark on society. She possessed the rare combination of sharp intellect, strength, independent opinion and social sensitivity." Born in Tel Aviv in 1928, Aloni joined the Hashomer Hatzair socialist Zionist youth movement and the Palmach as a teenager, and during the 1948 War of Independence she participated in the fight for Jerusalem's Old City. A graduate of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem's Faculty of Law, Aloni was a staunch advocate of human rights and women's rights. She joined the leftist Mapai party in 1959, and was first elected to the Knesset in 1965 as part of the Alignment party, which later became Labor. She established the Ratz party in early 1973, and the party went on to win three Knesset seats in the general elections held later that year. In 1992, she co-founded Meretz, as Ratz joined two other small parties, the centrist Shinui and leftist Mapam. Meretz went on to win 12 Knesset seats in the 1992 elections. Throughout her years in the Knesset, Aloni served as education and culture minister (1992-1993) and held a double portfolio -- science and arts, and communications, from 1993 to 1996. While serving as education minister in Yitzhak Rabin's government, she was forced to resign due to her outspoken and controversial statements on matters of religion. Aloni retired from politics in 1996, and Yossi Sarid was elected Meretz chairman. In 2000, she received the prestigious Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievements, for her contribution to society and the State of Israel. Aloni is survived by her three sons. She will be laid to rest on Sunday afternoon in Kfar Shmaryahu.
