Background
Mordechai was born in Akre or Aqrah Iraqi Kurdistan, and made aliyah to Israel in 1949.
Minister of Defense politician Knesset member
Mordechai was born in Akre or Aqrah Iraqi Kurdistan, and made aliyah to Israel in 1949.
Tel Aviv University.
He retired from political life after being indicted for sexual assaults during his military service and later periods. He holds a Bachelor in history from Tel Aviv University and an Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Haifa. In 1962 he enlisted to the Combat Engineering Corps of the Israel Defense Forces and later joined the Paratroopers Brigade.
In 1984, in what became known as the Kav 300 affair, Mordechai, then a Brigadier General, was framed for the killing of two Palestinian bus hijackers.
Mordechai was tried, and acquitted when the truth became known. He was promoted to the rank of Major-General in 1986, and became known as the "General of the Three Commands", after serving as commander of all three territorial commands (North, Center and South).
The First Intifada broke out in December 1987, when Mordechai was commander of the Southern Command. As commander of the Northern Command he commanded over Operation Accountability in 1993.
Mordechai retired from active service in 1995 after 33 years of service, when new Chief of General Staff Amnon Lipkin-Shahak did not appoint him as his deputy.
Netanyahu dismissed Mordechai shortly before Mordechai would have reportedly resigned. However, despite strong initial poll results, the party fared badly in the 1999 elections, winning only six seats. Nevertheless, the party joined Ehud Barak"s new Labor-led government and Mordechai became Minister of Transport.
Mordechai resigned from his ministerial position in 2000 after being indicted for sexual misconduct during his military service.
In March 2001 he was eventually convicted of harassing and sexually assaulting two women, receiving an 18-month suspended sentence. After his conviction, he resigned from the Knesset.
In 1995 Mordechai joined Likud and was on the party"s list for the elections the following year. In 1999, a public rift occurred between Mordechai and Netanyahu because of political rivalry and difference of opinion regarding the negotiations with Palestinians. On 23 February 1999 Mordechai left Likud along with several other members to establish the new Israel in the Centre party.
He served as a member of the Knesset between 1996 and 2001, and as Minister of Defense and Minister of Transport.