Former Knesset Member Esterina Tartman Dies at 68

Esterina Tartman, a former Member of Knesset for the Yisrael Beiteinu party, passed away on Wednesday, September 16, at the age of 68, following a prolonged illness, according to Channel 13. Her funeral is scheduled for 4:00 PM today at the Har HaMenuchot cemetery in Jerusalem.

Born in Jerusalem on November 9, 1957, Tartman grew up in a religious Sephardic family. She served in the Israel Defense Forces, reaching the rank of reserve major, and continued voluntary reserve duty. Before entering politics, she worked in the banking sector and ran a private business.

Tartman first entered the Knesset in February 2006 and served until 2009, representing Yisrael Beiteinu. During the 17th Knesset, she led the party's parliamentary faction and briefly served as acting chair of the State Control Committee. In 2007, Yisrael Beiteinu nominated her for Minister of Tourism, but a scandal erupted over discrepancies in her academic credentials, leading her to withdraw her candidacy. The Knesset Ethics Committee issued her a severe reprimand.

Tartman had previously battled cancer in the mid-1990s, from which she recovered. In 1997, she was severely injured in a car accident, resulting in a disability. In recent years, she was a regular participant in political programs on Channel 14. Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman commented on her passing, stating that Tartman "dedicated many years to public service and to the State of Israel."