Meir Sheetrit was born in 1948 in Morocco and immigrated to Israel in 1957.
He holds an MA in Political Science from Bar-Ilan University. He served in the IDF, with the rank of captain.
Meir Sheetrit served as Mayor of Yavneh (1974-87) and as Treasurer of the Jewish Agency (1988-92). He is a member of the Board of Ben-Gurion University, the Open University and Bar-Ilan University. He is the recipient of several awards, including the Local Government Prize, the Knesset Tolerance Shield and the President's Voluntarism award.
He was first elected to the Knesset in 1981.
Positions held:
10th Knesset (1981-84):
Member, Education & Culture Committee; Constitution, Law & Justice Committee; Finance Committee
11th Knesset (1984-88):
Member, Finance Committee; Defense Budget Sub-Committee
13th Knesset (1992-96):
Member, Finance Committee; House Committee; Committee on the Status of Women; Education & Culture Committee; Chairman, Israel-Korea Parliamentary Friendship League
14th Knesset (1996-99):
Deputy Speaker; Member, House Committee; Knesset Coalition Leader; Chairman, Israel-Korea Parliamentary Friendship League
15th Knesset (1999-2001):
Member, Knesset Committee; Finance Committee; Joint Committee for the Defense Budget; Anti-Drug Abuse Committee
Sheetrit served as Minister of Finance from February-July 1999 and as Minister of Justice from March 2001 until February 2003.
Meir Sheetrit served as Minister without Portfolio in the Finance Ministry from February 2003 until July 2004, when he was appointed Acting Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, officially receiving the portfolio in August 2004. In January 2006 he was also appointed Minister of Education, Culture and Sport, serving until May 2006.
Meir Sheetrit served as Minister of Housing and Construction from May 2006 until July 2007, when he was appointed Minister of the Interior.
He is married and has two children.