Image:Sarid_yossi.jpg, 1940) is an Israeli Left_wing Politician. He is currently a Knesset member of Meretz-Yachad party.]] '''Yossi Sarid''' (in Hebrew '''יוסי שריד''') (born October_24, 1940) is an Israeli Left_wing Politician. He is currently a Knesset member of Meretz-Yachad party. He holds a Master's_degree in Political_Science from New_School_for_Social_Research, New_York. Before entering politics, he was a Journalist. He still writes a weekly column for Haaretz. In 2003, Sarid began to write some Poetry. == Political career == * First joined the Knesset in 1974 (the 8^th Assembly), with the Israeli_Labour_Party. * In 1977 the Israeli_Labour_Party joined forces with Mapam, to create the Labour Alignment (''HaMaarach''). * In 1984 left the labour party, to join RATZ, headed by Shulamit_Aloni. * In 1992, RATZ merged with Amnon_Rubinstein's Shinui, and MAPAM to form Meretz - the Social_democrat left wing party of Israel. * During the 1992 elections, Meretz won 12 seats and entered Itzhak_Rabin's coalition. Sarid received the Environment ministry ( המשרד לאיכות הסביבה ). * In 1996 Yossi Sarid overthrew Shulamit_Aloni and became the leader of Meretz. Since then, Sarid and Aloni seem to have developed an increasing dislike for each other. * In 1999 Meretz won 10 seats and Sarid vowed not to seat with Mizrahi-Haredi party Shas in the infamous "read my lips" speech. However, Labor prime-minister Ehud_Barak insisted on joining Shas to the government and presuaded Sarid to seat with Shas by giving him the ministry of Education. Sarid explained the breaking of his vow in the need to promote the Peace_process. * As an education minister Sarid allocated more resources to Peripheral towns and received praise from their residents (which constitute the basis of support for the Likud and Shas parties]). * In 2000 Sarid resigned from the government and Meretz quit the coalition after failing to agree on authority to be given for Shas deputy minister of education. * In 2003 Meretz was joined by former Labor members Yossi_Beilin and Yael_Dayan. Meretz mergeed with Roman_Bronfman's party and promised Bronfman reserved 5^th place in Meretz's Knesset list. * In the elections of 2003 Meretz won only 6 seats and popular figures such as Ilan_Gil'on, Yoav_Kreem and Musi_Raz stayed out of the Knesset. Yossi Beilin wasn't elected for the Knesset either. * Sarid resigned from the leadership of Meretz following the humilating defeat in the 2003 elections. However, he remains an active Knesset member. He also serves at the Knesset's "''Security and Foreign Affairs Committee''". * In 2004, Meretz and Beilin merged into Yachad. Beilin defeated Meretz's socialist Ran_Cohen and became the leader of Yachad until 2006. * In 2005, prior to elections for the new Knesset, Sarid announced he would leave the Knesset and quit politics altogether. ==External link== * Yossi Sarid (Knesset website) {{Israel-bio-stub}} Sarid, Yossi Sarid, Yossi He:יוסי_שריד Pt:Yossi_Sarid