David Tal

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David Tal

Date of birth	26 February 1950
Place of birth	Rehovot, Israel
Knesset(s)	14th, 15th, 16th, 17th (current)
Party	Kadima
Former parties	Shas, One Israel, Noy

David Tal (Hebrew: דוד טל‎, born 26 February 1950) is an Israeli politician and a member of the Knesset for Kadima.

[edit] Biography

Born in Rehovot in 1950 to immigrants from Tunisia, Tal studied at an ORT school, and, after his national service in the IDF, worked as a mechanic.

He joined the Sephardi ultra-orthodox party Shas, and began his political career as a member of the Rishon LeZion municipal council. In 1996 he was elected to the Knesset on Shas's list and became a Deputy Speaker of the Knesset. He retained his seat in the 1999 elections and was reappointed Deputy Speaker, also becoming chairman of the Labour, Welfare, and Health Committee and the Joint Committee for Automobile Insurance Arrangements. However, he resigned from the Knesset in November 2002, and joined Amir Peretz's new One Nation party.

He returned to the Knesset following the January 2003 elections. However, when Peretz agreed to merge One Nation into the Labour Party, Tal broke away to found his own faction, Noy. Later during the parliamentary session Tal joined Ariel Sharon's new Kadima party and Noy was dissolved.

In the run-up to the 2006 elections Tal was placed 23rd on Kadima's list. With the party winning 29 seats, he was returned to the Knesset for a fourth term, and was reappointed Deputy Speaker. He also serves as chairman of the House Committee and the Lobby for Closing the Social Gaps.

Today Tal lives in Rishon LeZion with his wife. He has six children.