Yosef Vanunu (; born 7 August 1945) is an Israeli economist and former politician who served as a member of the Knesset for the Labor Party from 1992 until 1996.
Biography Born in El Kelaa des Sraghna, Morocco in 1945, Vanunu's father was a prominent rabbi. He made aliyah to Israel in 1955 and initially lived in moshav Gefen, before moving to Kiryat Malakhi in 1957, where his father built the town's first synagogue.
He studied for a BA in economics and agriculture at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, before receiving a PhD in economics from Bar-Ilan University. He worked as an economist and was a member of the Histadrut council.Yosef Vanunu: Public Activities Knesset
He was elected mayor of Kiryat Malakhi local council in 1981 on the Herut list, and was re-elected twice, the second time as an independent.Kiryat Malachi Canadian Jewish Chronicle, 4 September 1991. He also chaired the audit committee of the Local Government Centre. He later switched to the Labor Party, becoming a member of its central committee and comptroller unit. He was elected to the Knesset on the Labor Party list in 1992, but lost his seat in the 1996 elections.Yosef Vanunu: Knesset Activities Knesset
On 6 July 1997 he was convicted at Beersheba magistrates court of bribery, fraud and breach of trust relating to acts committed in 1989 whilst mayor of Kiryat Malakhi.Kumaraswamy, PR (1997) "Chronology: 1 June 1997-31 August 1997", Israel Affairs, Volume 4, Issue 2 He was sentenced to twelve months in prison, although six months was suspended and the other served as community service, and was also fined 40,000 shekels. His appeal to the Supreme Court was turned down.Appeal Supreme Court of Israel
See also List of Israeli public officials convicted of crimes or misdemeanors
References
External links