The thirtieth government of Israel was formed by Ariel Sharon on 28 February 2003, following Likud's comprehensive victory in the January elections. His coalition initially included Shinui and the National Union, holding 60 of the 120 seats in the Knesset, whilst the two-seat Yisrael BaAliyah merged into Likud shortly after. The National Religious Party also joined the coalition on 3 March 2003, taking the number of seats it held up to 66. The parties formed a center-right coalition.Israeli parliament OKs Sharon pullout plan, NBC News, Oct. 13, 2004.Unity Coalition Governments: Explainer
The government became increasingly unstable due to the Gaza disengagement plan, with the National Union leaving the coalition on 6 June 2004, and the National Religious Party following on 11 November. On 4 December Shinui also left the government following disagreements over the budget.Factional and Government Make-Up of the Sixteenth Knesset Knesset website On 10 January 2005, Labor–Meimad joined the government, and was joined by Agudat Yisrael on 30 March.
On 23 November 2005 Sharon and several other ministers left Likud to establish Kadima (initially known as National Responsibility), remaining in control of the government. Although Labor-Meimad left the government on the same day, Sharon remained in control until suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006, at which point Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert took temporary control. Although Likud left the government on 15 January, Olmert became Interim Prime Minister on 16 April, and remained head of the government until he formed the thirty-first government on 4 May 2006, following Kadima's victory in the March elections.
Cabinet members PositionPersonPartyPrime MinisterAriel Sharon (until 16 April 2006)Likud, KadimaEhud Olmert (interim from 16 April 2006)KadimaVice Prime MinisterShimon Peres (10 January - 23 November 2005)Labor-MeimadActing Prime MinisterEhud Olmert (until 16 April 2006)Likud, KadimaDeputy Prime MinisterTommy Lapid (until 4 December 2004)ShinuiSilvan Shalom (until 15 January 2006)LikudMinister of AgricultureIsrael Katz (until 14 January 2006)LikudZe'ev Boim (from 18 January 2006)KadimaMinister of CommunicationsAriel Sharon (until 17 August 2003)LikudEhud Olmert (29 September 2003 - 10 January 2005)LikudDalia Itzik (10 January - 23 November 2005)Labor-MeimadAvraham Hirschson (from 18 January 2006)KadimaMinister of DefenseShaul MofazNot an MKMinister of Education, Culture and SportLimor Livnat (until 14 January 2006)LikudMeir Sheetrit (from 18 January 2006)KadimaMinister of the EnvironmentYehudit Naot (until 17 October 2004)ShinuiIlan Shalgi (29 November 2004 - 4 December 2005)ShinuiShalom Simhon (10 January - 23 November 2005)Labor-MeimadGideon Ezra (from 18 January 2006)KadimaMinister of FinanceBenjamin Netanyahu (until 9 August 2005)LikudEhud Olmert (from 7 November 2005)Likud, KadimaMinister in the Finance MinistryMeir Sheetrit (until 5 July 2004)LikudMinister of Foreign AffairsSilvan Shalom (until 15 January 2006)LikudTzipi Livni (from 18 January 2006)KadimaMinister of HealthDan Naveh (until 14 January 2006)LikudYa'akov Edri (from 18 January 2006)KadimaMinister of Housing and ConstructionEffi Eitam (3 March 2003 - 10 June 2004)National Religious PartyTzipi Livni (31 August 2004 - 10 January 2005)LikudIsaac Herzog (10 January - 23 November 2005)Labor-MeimadZe'ev Boim (from 18 January 2006)KadimaMinister of Immigrant AbsorptionTzipi LivniLikud, KadimaMinister of Industry, Trade and LabourEhud OlmertLikud, KadimaMinister of Internal AffairsAvraham Poraz (until 4 December 2004)ShinuiOphir Pines-Paz (10 January - 23 November 2005)Labor-MeimadMinister of Internal SecurityTzachi Hanegbi (until 6 September 2004)LikudGideon Ezra (from 29 November 2004)Likud, KadimaMinister of Jerusalem AffairsNatan Sharansky (3 March 2003 - 4 May 2005)Not an MK 1Minister of JusticeTommy Lapid (until 4 December 2004)ShinuiTzipi Livni (from 10 January 2005)Likud, KadimaMinister of National InfrastructureYosef Paritzky (until 13 July 2004)ShinuiEliezer Sandberg (19 July - 4 December 2004)ShinuiLabor-MeimadRoni Bar-On (from 18 January 2006)KadimaMinister of Religious AffairsAriel Sharon (until 31 December 2003)LikudMinister of Science, Culture and SportEliezer Sandberg (until 19 July 2004)ShinuiIlan Shalgi (24 July - 29 November 2004)ShinuiVictor Brailovsky (29 November - 4 December 2004)ShinuiMatan Vilnai (7–23 November 2005)Labor-MeimadRoni Bar-On (from 18 January 2006)KadimaMinister of TourismBenny Elon (until 6 June 2004)National UnionGideon Ezra (31 August 2004 - 10 January 2005)LikudAvraham Hirschson (from 10 January 2005)Likud, KadimaMinister of TransportationAvigdor Lieberman (until 6 June 2004)National UnionMeir Sheetrit (from 31 August 2004)Likud, KadimaMinister of Welfare and Social ServicesZevulun Orlev (3 March 2003 - 11 November 2004)National Religious PartyMinister in the Prime Minister's OfficeGideon Ezra (until 31 August 2004)LikudUzi Landau (until 26 October 2004)LikudTzachi Hanegbi (from 6 September 2004)Likud, KadimaMatan Vilnai (12 January - 28 August 2005)Labor-MeimadMinister without PortfolioHaim Ramon (10 January - 23 November 2005)Labor-Meimad
1 Although Sharansky was not an MK at the time of his appointment, he had been elected to the Knesset on the Yisrael BaAliyah list.
References
External links Sixteenth Knesset: Government 30 Knesset website