The Haim J. Zadok Book

Haim Zadok’s life is intimately intertwined with the history of Zionism, of Israel, and of twentieth century Israeli jurisprudence. On many occasions, Zadok could be found at the epicenter of Israeli public enterprise, indeed has constituted one of its pillars and has left his stamp on it. He immigrated to Israel at an early age.After a period of service in the Jewish Settlement Police and as a law school student, he embarked on a long career as an attorney that included a variety of public and political positions. Zadok worked in the Legislative Department of the Ministry of Justice in the early days of the state; served for two decades as a Member of Knesset from the Mapai Party in its various incarnations, in the course of which he chaired the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee; was Levi Eshkol’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, and was Justice Minister during Yitzhak Rabin’s first administration. When he retired from public life, Zadok served as president of the Press Council, as chair of important public committees, and as a regular commentary writer in the daily newspapers.

This book has three sections. The first section includes an article by Ron Harris that focuses on Zadok’s life as a jurist. The article helps place his judicial activities in the context of the history of Israeli jurisprudence.The second section is based on a series of interviews with him by Minister and Knesset Member Dan Meridor. Because their legal and political careers have so many similarities, the choice of Meridor as interviewer is natural, unique and of added value, thanks to the interviewer’s personal and professional experience. The interview section deals with Zadok’s life from his birth through his public activities after retiring from the Knesset, and includes current affairs issues. The third section presents a collection of Zadok’s writings and speeches, illuminating his political activities and positions.This section has a special place for Zadok’s legal lectures from the 1950s, various Knesset speeches from the 1960s, and newspaper articles that appeared in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

This book opens a unique door on Israel’s history, especially on Israeli jurisprudence and the politics embedded in it.