He served as an officer in the Israel Defense Forces before graduating with an economics and international relations degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

He served as member of the Knesset Committees on Finance, Internal Affairs and the Environment, State Control, Energy, and Sport.

After being elected again to the 12th Knesset he continued in these positions, serving also as Chairman of the Israel-Germany Parliamentary Friendship League.

In 2010 and 2011 Tichon was chairman of the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research.

His grandson, Roy Schwartz Tichon is an activist promoting civil rights through "Noa Tanua", a nonprofit organization he founded.