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Mickey Levy (Hebrew: מיקי לוי; born 21 June 1951)[1] is an Israeli politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Yesh Atid and is a former Speaker of the Knesset. He served as Deputy Minister of Finance between 2013 and 2014. Before entering politics he was a police officer.

Biography

Levy was born in Jerusalem to immigrant parents who were of Kurdish Jewish origin from Cizre, Turkey.[1][2][3] He did his military service in the Israel Defense Forces in the Paratroopers Brigade. Later, in the Knesset, he spoke proudly about ordering for a handcuffed Palestinian to be shot in the head.[4] After being discharged from the military, he joined the Israel Police and held a series of command positions. He served as head of Jerusalem branch of the Israel Police between 2000 and 2004, winning the Knight of Good Government award in 2002.[5] After retiring he worked as the Israeli police attaché in Washington, D.C. until 2007.[5] He also gained a BA in political science from the University of Haifa and an MEd from the University of Derby, as well as serving as CEO of the Egged Ta’avura bus company.[5]

Prior to the 2013 Knesset elections, Levy joined the new Yesh Atid party and was placed eleventh on its list.[6] He entered the Knesset after the party won 19 seats. Following Yesh Atid’s coalition agreement with Likud, he was appointed to serve as Deputy Finance Minister.[7] He was placed eleventh on the party’s list again for the 2015 elections,[8] and was re-elected as the party won 11 seats.

In the build-up to the April 2019 elections, Yesh Atid joined the Blue and White alliance, with Levy placed twenty-second on its list. He was re-elected as the alliance won 35 seats.

As part of the agreement between Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid to form a “change” government, Levy was elected Speaker of the 24th Knesset on 13 June 2021, defeating Ya’akov Margi of Shas.[9][10] Following the 2022 elections Levy was replaced as speaker by Yariv Levin.[11]

Levy, as the chair of the State Control Committee, voted in October 2025 in favor of creating a commission of inquiry on the 7 October attacks, though it was voted down.[12]

Personal life

Levy is married to Nurit and has four children and lives in the Mevasseret Zion suburb of Jerusalem.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b “Members of the 25th Knesset”. Knesset.
  2. ^ Abdulla, Hemen. “Kurdish-Israeli MP: we would support Kurdish independence”. Rudaw. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  3. ^ Editorial Staff (31 March 2015). “Israeli Kurdish MP Mickey Levy: We would support Kurdish independence”. Kurd Net – Ekurd.net Daily News. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  4. ^ Knesset Record for Mickey Levy. Relevant passage from March 30 2026
  5. ^ a b c d Mickey Levy Knesset
  6. ^ Yesh Atid Central Elections Committee
  7. ^ Ettinger, Yair (24 April 2013). “Deputy Finance Minister calls ultra-Orthodox ‘parasites’ on the air, and immediately apologizes”. Haaretz. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  8. ^ Yesh Atid list Archived 5 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine Central Elections Committee
  9. ^ “Yesh Atid’s Mickey Levy appointed new Knesset speaker”. The Times of Israel. 13 June 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  10. ^ Kingsley, Patrick (13 June 2021). “Mickey Levy is the Knesset’s new speaker”. The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  11. ^ “N12 – לאחר הסערה: יריב לוין נבחר ליו”ר הכנסת החדש”. N12. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  12. ^ Neev, Keshet; Ben-Nun, Sarah (22 October 2025). “Israeli coalition lawmakers vote to topple state probe into October 7 failures”. The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 4 December 2025.