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Leaders from across political spectrum mourn Yossi Sarid
Veteran left-wing Israeli leader and former-government minister Yossi Sarid died suddenly over the weekend aged 75, having suffered a heart attack.
An iconic left-wing figure, Sarid was nonetheless respected for his integrity and articulate voice across the political spectrum. Born in Rehovot in 1940, Sarid became a journalist following his military service. He was appointed spokesman for the Labour Party aged 24 and was a speechwriter for former-Prime Ministers David Ben Gurion and Levi Eshkol.
Sarid was first elected to the Knesset in 1974 but later broke away with other Labour MKs to form the left-wing party Meretz. In 1992, he was appointed Environment Minister by Yitzhak Rabin and was a staunch supporter of the Oslo Peace Accords. In 1999, he became Education Minister in the government of Ehud Barak. Sarid was the leader of Meretz from 1996 until 2003 and remained in the Knesset until 2006. Following his retirement, Sarid remained a strong advocate of the two-state solution and civil rights, writing a regular column for Haaretz.
Although secular, Sarid had a keen knowledge of the Bible. He also taught civics in schools in peripheral towns often under threat of attack including Sderot and Kiryat Shmona.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid tribute to Sarid, acknowledging “Although we differed on many issues, I appreciated his loyalty to his path,” adding “Yossi Sarid was a unique voice in Israeli politics, an opinionated, sharp man.” President Reuven Rivlin called Sarid “one of the greatest politicians of the State of Israel” and a “tough political opponent, challenging and loyal to his views.”
Meretz leader Zahava Galon called Sarid “The greatest lover of Israel and Israelis, his death is a tremendous loss for me and a heavy loss for the entire country.” Zionist Union head Isaac Herzog said that Sarid’s “sharp, clear voice always stood out stubbornly for a brave uncompromising truth he believed with all his heart.”
Sarid was buried yesterday at Kibbutz Givat Hashlosha. He leaves a wife Dorit, three children and grandchildren.