Yossi Beilin, Yahad

Yossi Beilin is a Knesset member, and as a vocal advocate of peaceful negotiations with the Palestinians, is considered among the leading left-wing figures in Israeli politics.

He has long been associated with efforts to reach peace with the Palestinians. He played a central role in the negotiations that produced the Oslo Accords, and more recently was among the architects of the 2003 Geneva Accords peace initiative.

Beilin became chairman of the Yahad party in 2004, but most of his political career prior to this was spent as part of the Labor Party. During this period he had close ties with Shimon Peres.

From 1969-1977, Beilin was a journalist for the now-defunct "Davar" newspaper, which was considered a left-wing daily.

In 1977, Beilin became spokesman for the Labor Party and held this post until 1984.

From 1984-1986, Beilin served as Cabinet Secretary when Shimon Peres served as prime minister as part of the Labor-Likud unity government.

In 1988, Beilin was elected to the Knesset as a member of the Labor Party and served as deputy Finance Minister.

From 1992-1995, Beilin served as deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs under then Foreign Minister Peres. It was during this period that Beilin played a prominent role in orchestrating the Oslo peace talks.

From 1995-1996, Beilin served as Minister without portfolio in the Prime Minister's office, Economics and Planning Minister in the Rabin and Peres governments. 

In the Barak government, Beilin served as Justice Minister (1999-2001) and Religious Affairs Minister (2000-2001).

In 2002, following Labor primary elections in which many of the party's dovish members, including Beilin, finished out of contention for a Knesset seat, he joined the Meretz party.

Beilin was born in Petah Tikva in 1948. He has a PhD in Political Science from Tel Aviv University.