The position of Deputy Prime Minister (Hebrew: סגן ראש הממשלה, Segan Rosh HaMemshela) is an honorary title carried by an incumbent Minister in the Israeli Government under the Basic law:the Government, that states the follows: "A minister may be a Deputy Prime Minister" (but no more than that). Thus, there is no limit to the number of deputies a Prime Minister can appoint (as opposed to an Acting Prime Minister, that can only be one).
The post was created in 1963 when Abba Eban was appointed to the position in Levi Eshkol's first government. In 1977 Menachem Begin became the first Prime Minister to have two deputies.
The title was scrapped from 1992–1996 during the term of the 13th Knesset, but was resurrected by Binyamin Netanyahu in 1996 when he appointed four Deputies. In Ehud Olmert's cabinet there were three, one from his own party, and the leaders of the two next largest parties in his coalition (Labour and Shas). The current cabinet led by Benjamin Netanyahu again has four deputy PMs, one from Netanyahu's own Likud party and one each from coalition partners Shas, Independence, and Yisrael Beiteinu.
David Levy has had three spells as Deputy PM; from 1977 until 1992 and then again from 1996–1998 and 1999–2000. Each term was with a different party, Likud, Gesher and One Israel respectively.
Read more about this topic: Deputy Leaders Of Israel
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