Haim Landau

Haim Landau (Hebrew: חיים לנדאו; 10 September 1916 – 16 October 1981) was an Israeli independence fighter, Knesset member and Minister in the governments of Golda Meir and Menachem Begin.

Haim Landau
חיים לנדאו
Ministerial roles
1969–1970	Minister of Development
1978–1979	Minister without Portfolio
1979–1981	Minister of Transportation
Faction represented in the Knesset
1949–1965	Herut
1965–1974	Gahal
1974–1977	Likud
Personal details
Born	10 September 1916 Kraków, Austria-Hungary
Died	16 October 1981(1981-10-16) (aged 65)

Career

Landau was born in Kraków, Austria-Hungary (today in Poland) and made aliyah to Mandate Palestine in 1935. He soon joined Betar and the Irgun and, according to the Irgun website, "took part in reprisals against the Arabs"^[1] while still finding time to complete his studies at the Technion as a construction engineer.

By 1940, he was a commander of the Betar branch in Haifa, and in early 1944 was transferred to Tel Aviv and appointed member of the General Headquarters by the end of year. In 1947, he represented the Irgun, together with Begin and Shmuel Katz, at a meeting with the UNSCOP.

Post-independence

Landau was among the founders of the Herut, and was a member of the first to eighth Knessets. He was a member of the Begin cabinet, serving as Minister of Development in 1967–1970 and despite not retaining his seat in the 1977 elections, was made Minister of Transport by Menachem Begin, a role he retained until the 1981 elections.

commemoration

After his death, the Ministry of Transportation renamed Highway 5 after him. A bridge over the Ayalon highway and streets in Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, Holon, Be'er Sheva, Giv'at Shmuel and Ramat Hasharon are named after him.