Lapid – hospitalized
Photo: Ofer Amram
Ex-Minister Lapid in serious condition
Journalist, former justice minister and Shinui party chairman hospitalized in Tel Aviv
Journalist and former Justice Minister Yosef (Tommy) Lapid, 77, has been hospitalized in serious condition at Tel Aviv's Ichilov hospital.
Lapid served in the past as the chairman of the Shinui party and as a minister in Ariel Sharon's government. Today he serves as the Chairman of the Yad Vashem Council.
Lapid, who is a Holocaust survivor, lit the memorial torch this year at the Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. Recently he went back to writing opinion pieces.
Lapid, who initially became known as a senior journalist, joined Shinui ahead of the elections for the 15th Knesset. Under his leadership, the party won six Knesset seats. In the subsequent elections in 2003, the party boasted a stunning showing and won 15 seats.
The successful showing prompted Shinui to join the Sharon-led government. Lapid was appointed as deputy prime minister and justice minister.
In January 2006, following a split in the Shinui party (ahead of the 2006 elections,) Lapid announced his resignation from the movement and from political life.
