Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, a veteran Israeli politician who held several top defense and governmental posts, died Sunday at the age of 80 from complications related to renal failure. Ben-Eliezer had been in poor health for several years and retired from politics in 2014. He was hospitalized at the Assaf Harofeh Medical Center in central Israel on Thursday, where he underwent emergency surgery. He was transferred to the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv on Sunday morning, when his condition took a turn for the worse, and he died on Sunday afternoon. Politicians from across the political spectrum eulogized the veteran politician, who was known by the nickname "Fuad," given to him during his military service. "Binyamin Ben-Eliezer was a man with numerous credits to his name, who dedicated his life to safeguarding Israel," President Reuven Rivlin said in a statement. "In his many years in the Knesset and as a minister he worked tirelessly to benefit our country. He dedicated his all to Israel." Sending his condolences to the family, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "Fuad served the State of Israel for decades as a fighter, a commander, a public servant and a senior government minister. I knew him and I appreciated his contribution and his special personality. In my many conversations with him, Fuad expressed his concern and commitment to the future of the state, which he loved so much. May his memory be blessed." Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein said, "Binyamin Ben-Eliezer's contribution to Israel's security was unparalleled. He gave the best years of his life to the fortification of the Jewish people in their homeland, and he was an important and dominant voice in the Israeli discourse for decades." Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said, "Ben-Eliezer's contribution to Israel's security was great, but beyond the formal titles, he was a human being, in the truest sense of the word." Opposition Leader Isaac Herzog (Zionist Union) said the Labor party was "bidding farewell to a longtime friend. I offer my sincerest condolences to his family and staff." Former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, who was IDF chief of staff during Ben-Eliezer's term as defense minister in the early 2000s, said, "In every position he held, Fuad demonstrated leadership, initiative and common sense, but above all, he loved people. He was always attentive and sensitive, warm and fatherly. Those who met him loved him instantly, and that affection crossed religions and sectors. His character made him a consensus in the fragile political and social realities in Israel." Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak said, "Israel bids farewell to a man with many credits to his name, a man who held many senior positions over the decades. Fuad made an immense contribution to Israel's security and that's how we wish to remember him. He was a loyal friend and he had many friends who walked alongside him in his path." Zionist Union MK Revital Swid said, "It's with great pain that I have to say goodbye to a man with whom every conversation was like reading a history book about Israel. His personal history was intertwined with that of Israel." Ben-Eliezer was born in Basra, Iraq, in 1936, and immigrated to Israel alone in 1950, when he was just 14. He joined the military in 1954 and was assigned to the Golani Brigade. He became an officer and eventually commanded the 424th Infantry Battalion, tasked with protecting the southern border from infiltrators. He served as a battalion commander in the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War. In 1977, he was appointed IDF liaison between the Lebanese Christian militias and Israel. He was military governor of Judea and Samaria between 1978 and 1981, and was coordinator of government activities in the territories from 1983 to 1984. He retired from military service in 1984, as a brigadier general. Ben-Eliezer was first elected to the Knesset in 1984 as part of the Yahad party, which he co-founded with Ezer Weizman. He served on the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Yahad eventually merged with the Alignment party, today's Labor. Ben-Eliezer was re-elected to the Knesset in 1988 and 1992, and was later appointed housing and construction minister under Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Following the 1999 elections, Ben-Eliezer was named deputy prime minister and communications minister under Prime Minister Ehud Barak. After Ariel Sharon's victory in the 2001 elections, Ben-Eliezer was appointed defense minister. He also served as Labor party leader following Barak's resignation, until Amram Mitzna was elected in 2002. Re-elected again in 2003, Ben-Eliezer was named national infrastructure minister. Later, he served as a Labor MK on prominent Knesset committees. In August 2013, when Shimon Peres' term as president of the state was drawing to a close, Ben-Eliezer announced he would be vying for the presidency. He was named Labor's candidate, but had to withdraw from the race after a criminal investigation was launched against him, alleging financial improprieties. Proceedings were suspended when he was hospitalized.
Ben-Eliezer was an organ donor, and his family honored his wish and donated his corneas. Ben-Eliezer is survived by his wife and five children. He will be laid to rest on Tuesday afternoon at the Holon Cemetery.
