Party: Kadima

Knesset Profile: Abraham Dicter

Born in 1952, Avi Dichter spent his career rising to the top of Israel's Shin Bet security service, before becoming its chief in 2000.

Under Dichter's command, Israel escalated its policy of extra-judicial killings of Palestinian political and military leaders. Since September 2000, Israel assassinated more than 400 Palestinians; nearly half were innocent bystanders and more than 40 were children.

A case for war crimes is pending against him in US District Court in the Southern District of New York for the 2002 bombing of the home of Hamas military head Salah Shehade. In the attack, which was authorized by then Israeli military chief of staff Shaul Mofaz, a one-ton bomb was dropped on a residential apartment building in a crowded Gaza City neighborhood, killing 15 Palestinians, including at least nine children.

Dichter announced his entry into politics in 2005, and was elected to the Knesset representing the Kadima party in the March 2006 elections. He currently serves as Minister of Public Security.

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