1983
Begin's Year of Farewell
In the shadow of the war in Lebanon and the Kahan Commission's findings, Menachem Begin resigned and Yitzhak Shamir replaced him, and in the autumn the bank shares crisis shook the economy.
- The Kahan Commission publishes its findings on the Sabra and Shatila massacre: it determines that Israel bears indirect responsibility, and Defense Minister Ariel Sharon, found personally responsible, is forced to leave the Defense Ministry.
- Emil Grunzweig is killed by a hand grenade thrown at a Peace Now demonstration in Jerusalem.
- Ofra Haza takes second place at the Eurovision Song Contest in Munich with the song "Chai".
- Prime Minister Menachem Begin informs the government of his resignation.
- Bank shares collapse, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange closes, and the state is forced to nationalize the major banks.
