17 Facts About Amir Ohana

Amir Ohana is an Israeli lawyer, former Shin Bet official and politician who has served as the Speaker of the Knesset since 2022, and as a member of the Knesset for Likud.

Amir Ohana previously held the posts of Minister of Justice and Minister of Public Security.

Amir Ohana was the first openly gay right-wing member of the Knesset and the first openly gay man from Likud to serve in the Knesset.

Amir Ohana is the first openly gay person to be appointed as a minister in the Israeli government and the first openly gay Speaker of the Knesset.

Amir Ohana served in the Israel Defense Forces as a road accident investigator in the Military Police.

Amir Ohana served as part of a force securing traffic arteries in the Gaza Strip and as a road accident investigator in southern Israel, completed an officer's course and was a commander of the Karni crossing.

Amir Ohana served a total of six years of regular service in the IDF, and is still a reservist.

Amir Ohana studied law at the College of Management Academic Studies and, after earning an LLB, interned with the Israeli Justice Ministry in the State Prosecutor's Office.

Amir Ohana then worked as a lawyer in criminal law for a decade.

The chairman of the Likud gay caucus Likud Pride, Amir Ohana gained 32nd slot on the Likud list for the 2015 Knesset elections in the party primaries, a place reserved for a member from Tel Aviv District.

Amir Ohana's appointment came after controversial comments from Bezalel Smotrich, another contender for the office, saying that he would like to establish a halachic state governed by Jewish religious law.

Amir Ohana was considered a Netanyahu loyalist and supported exempting the prime minister from prosecution in the Netanyahu corruption investigations.

Amir Ohana was re-elected in September 2019 and March 2020.

Amir Ohana left the cabinet after a new government was formed, with Likud going into opposition.

Amir Ohana is a supporter of loosening the policy on carrying firearms in Israel in order to allow more armed people on streets for prevention and fast reaction to terror attacks.

Amir Ohana has given media interviews in which he described Muslims as likely to have "cultural murderousness".

Amir Ohana and his husband Alon Hadad have a son and a daughter, both born through a surrogate mother in the US state of Oregon.