12 Facts About Dalia Itzik

Dalia Itzik is an Israeli former politician who last served as a member of the Knesset for Kadima.

Dalia Itzik has previously served in several ministerial positions, and on 4 May 2006 became the first female speaker of the Knesset, and served as President of Israel in an interim capacity in July 2007.

Dalia Itzik's parents were Iraqi Jews who had immigrated to Israel.

Dalia Itzik's family was poor; her father was an alcoholic and at times her mother had to steal food for the family to survive.

Dalia Itzik attended a religious high school, and afterwards, avoided conscription to the Israel Defense Forces by declaring herself religious.

Dalia Itzik then attended a teacher training course, and went on to obtain a BA in Literature and History from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a BA in law from IDC Herzliya.

Reisser was fatally wounded and died the following day, while Itzik was seriously injured.

Dalia Itzik is married to Danny, an employee of the Israel Electric Corporation.

Re-elected in 2003, Dalia Itzik served as Minister of Communications in 2005.

Dalia Itzik served as the official head of State until Shimon Peres formally took over on 15 July 2007.

On 5 December 2012, in the days leading up to the 2013 elections while polls showed Kadima either barely getting into the Knesset or not even passing the threshold, Dalia Itzik announced she was taking a break from politics and dropping out of the race.

Dalia Itzik contested in the 2014 Israeli presidential election, coming third with 28 votes.