Shmuel Tamir; Ex-Israel Justice Minister

Shmuel Tamir, a former Jewish underground leader who as Israel’s justice minister from 1977 to 1980 was involved in drafting an Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty, is dead.

He was 64, the Israeli state radio said.

Tamir, who as a private citizen also negotiated a controversial prisoner exchange between Israel and a Palestinian guerrilla group in 1985, died Monday.

Tamir was a member of the Knesset, or parliament, between 1965 and 1981 and was justice aide to former Prime Minister Menachem Begin, who broke a lengthy post-retirement silence to pay tribute to him.

In a message read on Israeli television, Begin said: “Tamir was . . . an outstanding jurist, and an active member of parliament and cabinet minister. May his memory be blessed.”

Tamir headed the Israeli group that negotiated the 1985 release of three Israeli prisoners held by Palestinian guerrillas in exchange for 1,150 prisoners held by Israel as suspected guerrillas.

Born in Jerusalem in 1923, Tamir was a commander in Begin’s Irgun guerrilla movement that fought against British rule in pre-1948 Palestine. He was arrested and deported to Kenya by the British, returning after Israel became an independent state.

He helped form the right-wing Herut Party, headed by Begin, but several years later split with his long-time mentor and formed the Free Center Party.