| Haneen Zoubi | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 23 May 1969 |
| Place of birth | Nazareth, Israel |
| Knesset(s) | 18 |
| Party | Balad |
Haneen Zoubi (born 23 May 1969) is a Palestinian Arab citizen of Israel who currently serves as a member of the Knesset representing the Balad party. Elected in 2009, she is the first woman to elected to the Knesset on an Arab party's list.[1]
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Biography
Born in Nazareth, Zoubi studied philosophy and psychology at the University of Haifa, gaining a BA, before receiving an MA in communications from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.[2] She was the first Palestinian citizen of Israel to graduate from a media studies course there, and established the first media classes in Arab schools.[1] She also worked as a math teacher, and later served as a schools inspector for the Ministry of Education.[1]
Zoubi joined Balad in 2001.[2] In 2003, she co-founded the NGO I'lam - Media Center for Arab Palestinians in Israel (pronounced e'e'lam). Zoubi was its general director until she resigned shortly before the 2009 election in order to focus on her political career.[2]
Zoubi ran for Knesset as a Balad candidate in 2006, but was too low on the party's electoral list to win a seat.[2] Prior to the 2009 elections she won third place on the Balad list, and entered the Knesset after the party won three seats. She became the first female Arab MK to represent an Arab party.
She is a relative of Seif el-Din el-Zoubi, a former mayor of Nazareth and member of the Knesset between 1949 and 1959, and again from 1965 until 1979, and Abd el-Aziz el-Zoubi, a Deputy Health Minister and the first Arab member of an Israeli government.[3]
Views
Zoubi (like Balad in general) rejects the idea of a Jewish state, which she describes as "inherently racist." She has argued that this is the only way to combat Avigdor Lieberman's demand that Israeli citizens take loyalty oaths: "Balad's concept, which rejects the 'Jewish state' idea, is the only idea that can remove [Avigdor] Lieberman from the circle of political and moral legitimacy...When you agree with the 'Jewish state' idea, you necessarily agree with the idea of loyalty to this state. Rejecting the 'Jewish state' concept will block the road for anyone who demands our loyalty to such a state."[4]
Zoubi sees no difference between Lieberman and more mainstream Israeli politicians, saying that Lieberman, Tzipi Livni, and Benjamin Netanyahu are "all a bunch of fascists pure and simple."[2]
At the 18th Knesset swearing-in ceremony on February 24, 2009, she left the Knesset plenum before the singing of Hatikva, Israel's national anthem. "'Hatikva' doesn't represent me", she later said. "I preferred to leave the room, because I don't appreciate hypocrisy."[5] She has voiced support for Iranian acquisition of nuclear weapons, saying “I need something to balance its [Israel’s] power.”[4]
Zoubi rejects any form of national service on the part of Israel's Arab citizens.[6] In an interview with Jonathan Cook, Zoubi said: "It is frustrating and exhausting having always to be on the defensive about why I identify as a Palestinian, why I am not a Zionist, why the Jewish state is not democratic and cannot represent me, why I am entitled to citizenship. It is a Sisyphean labor."[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Cook, Jonathan (February 25, 2009). "Palestinian Woman Makes History in Israeli Parliament". AlterNet. http://www.alternet.org/world/128880/palestinian_woman_makes_history_in_israeli_parliament/. Retrieved June 24, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e Provocative Parliamentarian (Extract) The Jerusalem Report, 16 March 2009
- ^ Ministers of the Minorities Knesset website
- ^ a b Sokol, Samuel (2009-03-31). "New Balad MK praises Iran's nuke quest". The Jerusalem Post. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1238423651844&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
- ^ Paz, Shelly (2009-02-25). "Peres: Conclude peace deal this term". The Jerusalem Post. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1235410702135&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- ^ General Consensus against “Civic Service” in the "I Will Not Serve" Conference in Haifa | Baladna Association for Arab Youth
External links
- Haneen Zoubi Knesset website
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