Yohanan Plesner is an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Kadima between 2007 and 2013.
Background
Plesner was born in London, the son of Danish architect Ulrik Plesner and Israeli journalist and lecturer Tamar Liebes. In 1972, when Yohanan was two months old, the family moved to Israel and settled in Jerusalem, where his father opened an office and became a city architect. Plesner grew up in Jerusalem, and during his national service in the Israel Defense Forces from 1989 to 1994, he served as an officer with the Sayeret Matkal commando unit
Education
Harvard Kennedy School. Harvard University; Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Career
The couple had married in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and had moved to London, where Ulrik was working as an architect. He went on to study at the prestigious Amirim Program of Excellence at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he gained a Bachelor with distinction in economics. Upon his return to Israel, Plesner assumed the position of Head of Special Projects in the Prime Minister" General’ s Office under then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
During his time in the legislature, Plesner spoke out on issues ranging from national security and electoral reform to preservation of the environment and excellence in education.
In 2014, Plesner was appointed President of the Israel Democracy Institute, replacing Doctor Arye Carmon upon his retirement. In 2012, Plesner chaired the Keshev committee, though widely known as the, for revision in Haredi conscripting policy for the replacement of the Tal Law which was set to lapse on 1 August 2012.
The committee was dissolved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu due to disagreements between coalition parties, yet Plesner publicized the recommendations which included aggressive draft goals, as well as criminal charges, fines, or loss of benefits for draft dodgers under the plan.
Politics
He studied at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he earned an Master of Public Administration in political economics and security studies, and spoke regularly on behalf of Israel. When the Kadima Party was founded in early 2006, Plesner was appointed the first Secretary-General of the nascent party, and led the formation of its organizational infrastructure. The Knesset Ethics Committee censured Plesner in 2011 for making “insulting and harmful comments that are not connected to political stances and public life, but rather an MK’s personal life.” Plesner, during a Haneen Zoabi speech on the Gaza Flotilla, said of Zoabi, “I only hope that you go to Gaza for a week and see what happens to you, a single 38-year-old woman.” He added, “Don’t worry, just like no man would touch you, we will not touch you either."
Placed third on the Kadima list for the 2013 elections, he lost his seat when the party was reduced to two MKs.
Membership
Plesner became a member of Knesset in 2007. Plesner was, in 2012, Deputy Chairman of the Kadima Faction and a member of both the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee and of the Defense and Foreign Relations Committee.