Ayoob Kara
Encyclopedia
Ayoob Kara is a Druze
Israel
i politician. He is currently a member of the Knesset
for Likud
and Deputy Minister for Development of the Negev and Galilee. He lives in Isfiya
, Haifa District
.
He is one of the most conservative and outspoken members of the Knesset and a strong supporter of Israel. He opposed the Gaza disengagement
, is hawkish on Iran
, supports the three-state solution and supports Jewish settlement in the West Bank
.
, a Druze town near Haifa
, in 1955. He went to an agricultural high school in Kfar Galim. He served in the Israel Defense Forces
reserve and attained the rank of major before being discharged for posttraumatic stress disorder. Serving alongside Jews before and after the recreation of Israel has been a source of family pride. His uncle was killed during Arab riots in 1939. His father served in the IDF during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Another uncle was also killed by Arabs then and two of his brothers were killed in action in the 1982 Lebanon War
. Following his national service
, Kara studied Business Administration. Today, he lives in Daliyat al-Karmel
with his wife and five children.
-Gesher-Tzomet
list, which only attained 32 seats in the 1996 elections
. He urged Likud party chairman Ariel Sharon
to campaign for the Arab vote. Sharon agreed on the importance of it and the need for an Arab minister in government. Kara was elected in 1999, becoming the third Druze Likud
MK in history, after Amal Nasser el-Din
and Assad Assad
. He was appointed Deputy Speaker of the Knesset and served as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Workers. He retained his seat in the 2003 elections and became chairman of the Anti-Drug Committee. Speaking out during the Second Intifada, he condemned Arab MKs for incitement.
Kara loudly opposed the Gaza disengagement plan, championed by prime minister Ariel Sharon
, and was almost ejected from Knesset with Michael Ratzon
for "repeated disturbances". When Sharon announced plans to break from Likud, Kara refused to defect to Kadima
in 2005 and slammed other MKs that did, including Shaul Mofaz
. He praised Likud's "glorious past" and said it will return stronger, despite the split. He lost his seat in the 2006 elections, when Likud were reduced to just 12 seats.
Despite being out of office, he remained active in politics. He met with Hebron
residents and criticized the demolition of a Jewish home there, bashing Kadima chairman Tzipi Livni
as "good for Hamas
".
, Kara called for unity between Druze and Jews, "to strengthen the Zionist connection...that has been damaged in recent years." He reminded voters of his opposition to the disengagement
, making it an important part of his campaign. He was placed 23rd on the party's list, and returned to the Knesset
when Likud won 27 seats. Kara sought and received a ministerial post: becoming Israel's new Deputy Minister of the Development of the Negev and Galilee. He is the first non-Jewish nationalist to receive a portfolio. Kara opposed the inclusion of Kadima
in Netanyahu's government, saying that Likud had "no room for traitors".
As deputy minister, Kara has cited demographic issues as a growing threat to Israel. He has promoted development of the two regions to encourage Jews to stay and work there. He worked to help former soldiers to study for free at colleges in the Negev
and Galilee
, as well as a new college of medicine in the latter. He also supported the building of casinos in the Negev. In addition, he promoted a program in Knesset to train Druze firefighters that will serve in Jewish towns in the West Bank. Later, with Kara's help, ZAKA
volunteers began to establish volunteer rescue services in northern Druze and Arab towns in September 2010, starting with Beit Jann
and Yirka
.
He is a strong proponent of Jewish settlement in the West Bank. As the opening speaker at an April 2010 visit to the Cave of the Patriarchs
, he urged the Israeli government to "say no to Barack Hussein Obama" and build more in the West Bank. He participated in events marking the end of the 10-month settlement freeze
. A month later, he headlined an event opposing Iran
ian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Lebanon
.
, an Israeli Bedouin
who was convicted of espionage in absentia
by Egypt
, enlisted Kara's support to gain Tarabin's release. Tarabin entered Egypt in 2000 illegally and was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Kara also led a group of Druze, Bedouins, and Muslims that met with the family of Gilad Shalit
to show support for his release from Hamas
, who kidnapped Shalit in a 2006 raid.
Kara met with Turkish ambassador to Israel, Ahmet Oğuz Çelikkol, to improve Israel–Turkey relations, citing Turkey
as a "proven" friend to Israel. However, relations deteriorated after the Gaza flotilla raid
. Kara has also been instrumental in improving relations with Syria
and Lebanon
. Just before the 2009 election, he claimed to have met with Syrian officials in Washington, DC, who said Syria was interested in revisiting talks to improve relations
. However, the Syrian embassy in Washington denied the meeting took place, as did a spokesman for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu
. He has also been outspoken in his opposition to proposed divisions of the border village of Ghajar
, comparing it to the Berlin Wall
.
For much of 2010, he has worked to improve economic and humanitarian ties between Israel and Syria. Druze farmers in the Golan
now import water from Syria and export thousands of tons of apples every year. In addition, Druze have been able to visit relatives in Syria for the first time in decades and also receive organ transplants there. In addition, he has coordinated burials for families between Syria, Lebanon, and the Golan. Kara is hopeful that these "cracks in the great wall between Israel and Syria" will one day lead to real negotiations for peace. Or at the very least, he hopes to cut down the bureaucracy preventing humanitarian exchanges between Israel and Syria. Kara has also called for mines to be removed from the Golan, citing them as dangerous to travelers and not needed for Israel's defense.
When several pro-Israel European politicians visited Israel, Kara and other Knesset members joined the Europeans to condemn the Gaza disengagement and lack of assistance to former Jewish residents of Gaza, who had been expelled from their homes. Kara urged stronger relationships with European politicians that support Israel. Kara visited Austria
in December 2010 and met with Heinz-Christian Strache
, leader of the Freedom Party of Austria
, praising him at a joint press conference and calling him a "friend of Israel" in its war on terror. Austria's Jewish community complained in a letter addressed to Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu about the meeting and the praise and honor bestowed by Kara on the party and its members, particularly in light of the party's anti-semitic remarks and their praise for the Nazi regime of the Third Reich. Israel had scaled back its diplomatic relations with Austria when the party entered into the Austrian government a few years ago.
The head of a southern Sudan delegation to a February 2011 meeting of a new organization to develop Nigeria
, Suleiman Alhariri, invited Kara to the newly forming country to help begin setting up diplomatic relations. Kara led a delegation of Jewish, Muslim, Druze, and Christian religious leaders to discuss interfaith relations in Istanbul
with TV show host Adnan Oktar
. The delegation presented a list of Jewish religious sites in Syria for the opposition in the 2011 Syrian uprising
to guard, should unrest threaten the sites. The group planned to set up a religious court to arbitrate regional disputes. Kara also said Turkey is eager to reestablish its ties with Israel." In May 2011, Kara claimed that the opposition movement in the 2011 Syrian uprising
had approached him to seek help for their movement from the United Nations, United States, and European Union
.
and the 2009–10 settlement freeze. He is a supporter of Moshe Feiglin
's Manhigut Yehudit
faction, within Likud. He also supports the death penalty for terrorists.
from the Gaza Strip
and northern West Bank
, Kara requested from then Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon
, that Druze soldiers not be assigned to tasks related to the disengagement, since the Druze opposed the disengagement and did not want to have anything to do with it. In an interview, Kara claimed "The withdrawal is going to be terrible for Israeli security. Hamas is going to become dominant as soon as Israel leaves Gaza, and they will use the land to stage more attacks against Israel." However, he was threatened with expulsion from the Knesset for trying to obstruct the plan as it went through. The Israeli media called him the "prophet of fury". Years earlier, he opposed the withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, warning that Hezbollah would gain power in Israel's absence.
After the Gaza flotilla clash, Kara spoke with a leading mufti
in Turkey. He told the mufti that Israel conducted the operation legally and humanely and presented facts backing his claims. In addition, he said "Israel is the most humanitarian country in the Middle East and never objected to the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza," and the flotilla organizers intended to provoke Israel. He also asked the mufti to preach brotherhood between Israel and Turkey, "saying there are no winners in war."
At a meeting hosted by Turkish TV personality Adnan Oktar, Kara stated that flotillas must carry humanitarian aid and not weapons. He said that Israel wanted to work with Turkey to transfer humanitarian aid to Gaza.
's nuclear program
and assured that other Muslim nations would support a strike, albeit quietly and not publicly. In April 2010, the MK made public that he had been approached by an Israeli woman of Persian Jewish origin, who had been contacted by an Iranian nuclear scientist seeking asylum
in Israel. Kara stated he would help and that the scientist was staying in a "friendly country", but there has been no word on the plan since the announcement.
Following a planned visit by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the Israel-Lebanon
border, Kara organized a rally in which 2,000 blue and white balloons would be released if Ahmadinejad came, stating that "the balloons represent the fact that the Jewish people have come home after 2,000 years of exile, and are not going anywhere". Kara also stated that as a non-Jew, he appreciated Israel's freedom and democracy, and that were it not for the Jewish people, the entire region would look like Iran. Kara also claims to have sent Ahmadinejad a letter in Persian
, in which he expressed "the Israeli nation's desire for peace, and its willingness to defend itself".
At the event, Kara criticized the Israeli government for inaction and called Ahmadinejad "a catastrophe for the world" and said that Israel wants peace, not wars. He also warned that Ahmadinejad intends to rebuild the Persian Empire, using Lebanon as an army base.
for giving "the criminal Palestinian leadership
that was in Lebanon
and Tunisia
the legitimacy to be leaders in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza."
In July 2010, Kara warned Israel not to be tricked by United States president Barack Obama's apparent sympathy for Israel. Kara stated that Obama "doesn’t sound evil now because he needs Jewish votes and money, but I won’t forget the pressure he put on Netanyahu and the stress I saw in the prime minister the last time he came back from Washington." Several days later, in an interview, he endorsed a three-state solution, saying that Egypt
should resume control over Gaza
. He noted that Arabs almost universally call for a restoration of the situation prior to the Six-Day War
, when Gaza was part of Egypt. In addition, he mentioned that it would be beneficial to the security of Egypt to eliminate Iran
ian influence in the territory. In an interview, Kara noted that "In all history there was never a Palestinian state." He proposed that Jordan
, which is 90% Palestinian
take administrative control of Arab cities in the West Bank, while Israel would control defense, major cities, and broad areas in the territory.
During the 2010 Israel forest fire, Kara stated he had information that the fire was "a terrorist act"—arson—and called for the perpetrators to be executed like Adolf Eichmann
. Some of the 41 killed in the blaze were Druze.
In 2011, Kara and fellow MK Aryeh Eldad met with Glenn Beck
. After Eldad said that there was a Palestinian state in Jordan, Kara added "the world doesn't understand that there are already two states here, and now they want three states. There were never Palestinians in this area" At the first International Regional Cooperation Conference in Tel Aviv, Kara said Israel should negotiate with businessmen rather than the Palestinian Authority leadership.
of four Israelis near Kiryat Arba
shows that the freeze only serves as "appeasement
" and is not working. At an event marking the construction of a new building in the West bank, Kara stated: "The expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif
brought zero results, the expulsion of the Israeli army from Lebanon has brought zero results, and the construction freeze brought zero results." Kara attended an Israeli version of the American tea party protests with other Likud MKs and members. Speakers at the event called on Obama to stop pressuring Netanyahu and for the prime minister to stand his ground and uphold Jewish rights and values. However, he abstained from a vote brought by National Union MKs that would extend sovereignty to Jewish towns in the West Bank.
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician. He is currently a member of the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
for Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
and Deputy Minister for Development of the Negev and Galilee. He lives in Isfiya
Isfiya
Isfiya , also known as Ussefiya, is a Druze village and local council in northern Israel. Located on Mount Carmel, it is part of Haifa District. In 2009 it had a population of 25,400. In 2003, the local council was merged with nearby Daliyat al-Karmel to form Carmel City...
, Haifa District
Haifa District
Haifa District is an administrative district surrounding the city of Haifa, Israel. The district is one of six administrative districts of Israel, and its capital is Haifa...
.
He is one of the most conservative and outspoken members of the Knesset and a strong supporter of Israel. He opposed the Gaza disengagement
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan , also known as the "Disengagement plan", "Gaza expulsion plan", and "Hitnatkut", was a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, adopted by the government on June 6, 2004 and enacted in August 2005, to evict all Israelis from the Gaza Strip and from...
, is hawkish on Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, supports the three-state solution and supports Jewish settlement in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
.
Early life
Kara was born in Daliyat al-KarmelDaliyat al-Karmel
Daliyat al-Karmel is a Druze local council in the North District of Israel, located around 20 km southeast of Haifa.-History:The town was given local council status in 1951. However, in 2003 it was merged with nearby Isfiya to create Carmel City...
, a Druze town near Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, in 1955. He went to an agricultural high school in Kfar Galim. He served in the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
reserve and attained the rank of major before being discharged for posttraumatic stress disorder. Serving alongside Jews before and after the recreation of Israel has been a source of family pride. His uncle was killed during Arab riots in 1939. His father served in the IDF during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Another uncle was also killed by Arabs then and two of his brothers were killed in action in the 1982 Lebanon War
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
. Following his national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
, Kara studied Business Administration. Today, he lives in Daliyat al-Karmel
Daliyat al-Karmel
Daliyat al-Karmel is a Druze local council in the North District of Israel, located around 20 km southeast of Haifa.-History:The town was given local council status in 1951. However, in 2003 it was merged with nearby Isfiya to create Carmel City...
with his wife and five children.
Early political career: 1996—2006
He was named 35th on the LikudLikud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
-Gesher-Tzomet
Tzomet
Tzomet is a small secular, right-wing political party in Israel.-Ideology:The party was the one who first brought the "peace for peace" slogan, which today is used by all Israeli right wing parties and movements...
list, which only attained 32 seats in the 1996 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1996
Elections for the fourteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 29 May 1996. Voter turnout was 79.3%.The 1996 elections included two new changes, both designed to increase the stability of the Knesset. First, the Prime Minister was to be elected on a separate ballot from the remaining members of the...
. He urged Likud party chairman Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
to campaign for the Arab vote. Sharon agreed on the importance of it and the need for an Arab minister in government. Kara was elected in 1999, becoming the third Druze Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
MK in history, after Amal Nasser el-Din
Amal Nasser el-Din
Amal Nasser el-Din is a Druze Israeli author and former politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Likud between 1977 and 1988.-Biography:El-Din was born in Daliyat al-Karmel during the Mandate era...
and Assad Assad
Assad Assad
Assad Assad is a Druze Israeli former officer, diplomat and politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Likud between 1992 and 1996.-Biography:...
. He was appointed Deputy Speaker of the Knesset and served as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Workers. He retained his seat in the 2003 elections and became chairman of the Anti-Drug Committee. Speaking out during the Second Intifada, he condemned Arab MKs for incitement.
Kara loudly opposed the Gaza disengagement plan, championed by prime minister Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
, and was almost ejected from Knesset with Michael Ratzon
Michael Ratzon
Michael Ratzon is a former Israeli politician who briefly served as a member of the Knesset for Likud in 1996 and again from 2003 until 2006.-Biography:...
for "repeated disturbances". When Sharon announced plans to break from Likud, Kara refused to defect to Kadima
Kadima
Kadima is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians...
in 2005 and slammed other MKs that did, including Shaul Mofaz
Shaul Mofaz
Lt. General Shaul Mofaz is an Israeli politician who serves as the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs And Defense Committee at the Knesset...
. He praised Likud's "glorious past" and said it will return stronger, despite the split. He lost his seat in the 2006 elections, when Likud were reduced to just 12 seats.
Despite being out of office, he remained active in politics. He met with Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
residents and criticized the demolition of a Jewish home there, bashing Kadima chairman Tzipi Livni
Tzipi Livni
Tzipporah Malkah "Tzipi" Livni is an Israeli lawyer and politician. She is the current Israeli Opposition Leader and leader of Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset. Raised an ardent nationalist, Livni has become one of her nation's leading voices for the two-state solution. In Israel she has...
as "good for Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
".
Deputy Minister: 2009—present
Announcing his intention to run in the Likud primary for the 2009 electionsIsraeli legislative election, 2009
Elections for the 18th Knesset were held in Israel on 10 February 2009. These elections became necessary due to the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as leader of the Kadima party, and the failure of his successor, Tzipi Livni, to form a coalition government...
, Kara called for unity between Druze and Jews, "to strengthen the Zionist connection...that has been damaged in recent years." He reminded voters of his opposition to the disengagement
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan , also known as the "Disengagement plan", "Gaza expulsion plan", and "Hitnatkut", was a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, adopted by the government on June 6, 2004 and enacted in August 2005, to evict all Israelis from the Gaza Strip and from...
, making it an important part of his campaign. He was placed 23rd on the party's list, and returned to the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
when Likud won 27 seats. Kara sought and received a ministerial post: becoming Israel's new Deputy Minister of the Development of the Negev and Galilee. He is the first non-Jewish nationalist to receive a portfolio. Kara opposed the inclusion of Kadima
Kadima
Kadima is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians...
in Netanyahu's government, saying that Likud had "no room for traitors".
As deputy minister, Kara has cited demographic issues as a growing threat to Israel. He has promoted development of the two regions to encourage Jews to stay and work there. He worked to help former soldiers to study for free at colleges in the Negev
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
and Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
, as well as a new college of medicine in the latter. He also supported the building of casinos in the Negev. In addition, he promoted a program in Knesset to train Druze firefighters that will serve in Jewish towns in the West Bank. Later, with Kara's help, ZAKA
ZAKA
ZAKA , is a series of voluntary community emergency response teams in Israel, each operating in a police district . These organizations are officially recognized by the government...
volunteers began to establish volunteer rescue services in northern Druze and Arab towns in September 2010, starting with Beit Jann
Beit Jann
Beit Jann is a Druze village on Mt. Meron, in northern Israel. At 940 meters above sea level, Beit Jann is one of the highest inhabited locations in the country. In 2007, the population was 10,300. The mayor of Beit Jann is Youssef Qabalan.-History:...
and Yirka
Yirka
Yarka is an Israeli Druze village in Israel's North District, northeast of Acre.-History:In 1596, Yarka appeared in Ottoman tax registers as being in the Nahiya of Akka of the Liwa of Safad...
.
He is a strong proponent of Jewish settlement in the West Bank. As the opening speaker at an April 2010 visit to the Cave of the Patriarchs
Cave of the Patriarchs
The Cave of the Patriarchs or the Cave of Machpelah , is known by Muslims as the Sanctuary of Abraham or Ibrahimi Mosque ....
, he urged the Israeli government to "say no to Barack Hussein Obama" and build more in the West Bank. He participated in events marking the end of the 10-month settlement freeze
Road map for peace
The roadmap for peace or "road map" for peace is a plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by a "quartet" of international entities: the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations. The principles of the plan, originally drafted by U.S. Foreign Service...
. A month later, he headlined an event opposing Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
Foreign relations
Shortly after the election, the family of Ouda TarabinOuda Tarabin
Ouda Tarabin is an Israeli Bedouin. On 2000, The Egyptians arrested 19 year old Israeli Ouda Tarabin after he illegally crossed the border from Israel...
, an Israeli Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
who was convicted of espionage in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
by Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, enlisted Kara's support to gain Tarabin's release. Tarabin entered Egypt in 2000 illegally and was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Kara also led a group of Druze, Bedouins, and Muslims that met with the family of Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit is an Israeli – French citizen and Israel Defense Forces soldier. On 25 June 2006, he was captured inside Israel by Hamas militants in a cross-border raid via underground tunnels near the border with Gaza. The Hamas militants held him for over five years, until he was released on...
to show support for his release from Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
, who kidnapped Shalit in a 2006 raid.
Kara met with Turkish ambassador to Israel, Ahmet Oğuz Çelikkol, to improve Israel–Turkey relations, citing Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
as a "proven" friend to Israel. However, relations deteriorated after the Gaza flotilla raid
Gaza flotilla raid
The Gaza flotilla raid was a military operation by Israel against six ships of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" on 31 May 2010 in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Kara has also been instrumental in improving relations with Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. Just before the 2009 election, he claimed to have met with Syrian officials in Washington, DC, who said Syria was interested in revisiting talks to improve relations
Israel–Syria relations
Israel–Syria relations refers to diplomatic and economic relations between Israel and Syria. Diplomatic ties have not been established, and the countries have fought four major wars, in 1948, 1967, 1973 and 1982.-History:...
. However, the Syrian embassy in Washington denied the meeting took place, as did a spokesman for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
. He has also been outspoken in his opposition to proposed divisions of the border village of Ghajar
Ghajar
Ghajar is an Alawite village on the Hasbani River on the border between Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights. It has a population of 2,000.-Early history:...
, comparing it to the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
.
For much of 2010, he has worked to improve economic and humanitarian ties between Israel and Syria. Druze farmers in the Golan
Golan
Golan was a biblical city in Land of Israel. It was in the territory of Manasseh in the Bashan.Golan was the most northerly of the three cities of refuge east of the Jordan River . Manasseh gave this city to the Gershonite Levites .According to the Bible, the Israelites conquered Golan from the...
now import water from Syria and export thousands of tons of apples every year. In addition, Druze have been able to visit relatives in Syria for the first time in decades and also receive organ transplants there. In addition, he has coordinated burials for families between Syria, Lebanon, and the Golan. Kara is hopeful that these "cracks in the great wall between Israel and Syria" will one day lead to real negotiations for peace. Or at the very least, he hopes to cut down the bureaucracy preventing humanitarian exchanges between Israel and Syria. Kara has also called for mines to be removed from the Golan, citing them as dangerous to travelers and not needed for Israel's defense.
When several pro-Israel European politicians visited Israel, Kara and other Knesset members joined the Europeans to condemn the Gaza disengagement and lack of assistance to former Jewish residents of Gaza, who had been expelled from their homes. Kara urged stronger relationships with European politicians that support Israel. Kara visited Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
in December 2010 and met with Heinz-Christian Strache
Heinz-Christian Strache
Heinz-Christian Strache is an Austrian politician, member of parliament, former member of the Vienna city council and political leader of the Freedom Party of Austria . He is a right-wing politician and an efficient populist...
, leader of the Freedom Party of Austria
Freedom Party of Austria
The Freedom Party of Austria is a political party in Austria. Ideologically, the party is a direct descendant of the German national liberal camp, which dates back to the 1848 revolutions. The FPÖ itself was founded in 1956 as the successor to the short-lived Federation of Independents , which had...
, praising him at a joint press conference and calling him a "friend of Israel" in its war on terror. Austria's Jewish community complained in a letter addressed to Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu about the meeting and the praise and honor bestowed by Kara on the party and its members, particularly in light of the party's anti-semitic remarks and their praise for the Nazi regime of the Third Reich. Israel had scaled back its diplomatic relations with Austria when the party entered into the Austrian government a few years ago.
The head of a southern Sudan delegation to a February 2011 meeting of a new organization to develop Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Suleiman Alhariri, invited Kara to the newly forming country to help begin setting up diplomatic relations. Kara led a delegation of Jewish, Muslim, Druze, and Christian religious leaders to discuss interfaith relations in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
with TV show host Adnan Oktar
Adnan Oktar
Adnan Oktar , also known as Harun Yahya, is an author and Islamic creationist. In 2007, he sent thousands of unsolicited copies of the Atlas of Creation advocating Islamic creationism to American scientists, members of Congress, and science museums...
. The delegation presented a list of Jewish religious sites in Syria for the opposition in the 2011 Syrian uprising
2011 Syrian uprising
The 2011 Syrian uprising is an ongoing internal conflict occurring in Syria. Protests started on 26 January 2011, and escalated into an uprising by 15 March 2011...
to guard, should unrest threaten the sites. The group planned to set up a religious court to arbitrate regional disputes. Kara also said Turkey is eager to reestablish its ties with Israel." In May 2011, Kara claimed that the opposition movement in the 2011 Syrian uprising
2011 Syrian uprising
The 2011 Syrian uprising is an ongoing internal conflict occurring in Syria. Protests started on 26 January 2011, and escalated into an uprising by 15 March 2011...
had approached him to seek help for their movement from the United Nations, United States, and European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
Political Positions
Kara is known as a staunch conservative in the Knesset, supporting "hawkish" and Zionist views. He opposed the Gaza disengagementIsrael's unilateral disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan , also known as the "Disengagement plan", "Gaza expulsion plan", and "Hitnatkut", was a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, adopted by the government on June 6, 2004 and enacted in August 2005, to evict all Israelis from the Gaza Strip and from...
and the 2009–10 settlement freeze. He is a supporter of Moshe Feiglin
Moshe Feiglin
Moshe Zalman Feiglin is an Israeli politician, head of the Manhigut Yehudit faction of the Likud party in Israel...
's Manhigut Yehudit
Manhigut Yehudit
Manhigut Yehudit is a movement started by Moshe Feiglin and Shmuel Sackett to lead the State of Israel with, in their words, "authentic Jewish values." This has been widely interpreted, both by Manhigut supporters and outside observers, as closer to Orthodox Judaism but without a Galut or Exile...
faction, within Likud. He also supports the death penalty for terrorists.
Gaza
During the months preceding the disengagementIsrael's unilateral disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan , also known as the "Disengagement plan", "Gaza expulsion plan", and "Hitnatkut", was a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, adopted by the government on June 6, 2004 and enacted in August 2005, to evict all Israelis from the Gaza Strip and from...
from the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
and northern West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
, Kara requested from then Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
, that Druze soldiers not be assigned to tasks related to the disengagement, since the Druze opposed the disengagement and did not want to have anything to do with it. In an interview, Kara claimed "The withdrawal is going to be terrible for Israeli security. Hamas is going to become dominant as soon as Israel leaves Gaza, and they will use the land to stage more attacks against Israel." However, he was threatened with expulsion from the Knesset for trying to obstruct the plan as it went through. The Israeli media called him the "prophet of fury". Years earlier, he opposed the withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, warning that Hezbollah would gain power in Israel's absence.
After the Gaza flotilla clash, Kara spoke with a leading mufti
Mufti
A mufti is a Sunni Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law . In religious administrative terms, a mufti is roughly equivalent to a deacon to a Sunni population...
in Turkey. He told the mufti that Israel conducted the operation legally and humanely and presented facts backing his claims. In addition, he said "Israel is the most humanitarian country in the Middle East and never objected to the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza," and the flotilla organizers intended to provoke Israel. He also asked the mufti to preach brotherhood between Israel and Turkey, "saying there are no winners in war."
At a meeting hosted by Turkish TV personality Adnan Oktar, Kara stated that flotillas must carry humanitarian aid and not weapons. He said that Israel wanted to work with Turkey to transfer humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Iran
Kara supports an Israeli strike against IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
's nuclear program
Nuclear program of Iran
The nuclear program of Iran was launched in the 1950s with the help of the United States as part of the Atoms for Peace program. The support, encouragement and participation of the United States and Western European governments in Iran's nuclear program continued until the 1979 Iranian Revolution...
and assured that other Muslim nations would support a strike, albeit quietly and not publicly. In April 2010, the MK made public that he had been approached by an Israeli woman of Persian Jewish origin, who had been contacted by an Iranian nuclear scientist seeking asylum
Right of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
in Israel. Kara stated he would help and that the scientist was staying in a "friendly country", but there has been no word on the plan since the announcement.
Following a planned visit by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the Israel-Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
border, Kara organized a rally in which 2,000 blue and white balloons would be released if Ahmadinejad came, stating that "the balloons represent the fact that the Jewish people have come home after 2,000 years of exile, and are not going anywhere". Kara also stated that as a non-Jew, he appreciated Israel's freedom and democracy, and that were it not for the Jewish people, the entire region would look like Iran. Kara also claims to have sent Ahmadinejad a letter in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, in which he expressed "the Israeli nation's desire for peace, and its willingness to defend itself".
At the event, Kara criticized the Israeli government for inaction and called Ahmadinejad "a catastrophe for the world" and said that Israel wants peace, not wars. He also warned that Ahmadinejad intends to rebuild the Persian Empire, using Lebanon as an army base.
Arab-Israeli conflict and peace
Kara believes that Israel "has no one to make peace with" and that all the peace partners aim to weaken Israel. He noted that Israelis think like Europeans and do not understand the thought process in the Middle East. He criticized the Oslo accordsOslo Accords
The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles , was an attempt to resolve the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict...
for giving "the criminal Palestinian leadership
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
that was in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
the legitimacy to be leaders in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza."
In July 2010, Kara warned Israel not to be tricked by United States president Barack Obama's apparent sympathy for Israel. Kara stated that Obama "doesn’t sound evil now because he needs Jewish votes and money, but I won’t forget the pressure he put on Netanyahu and the stress I saw in the prime minister the last time he came back from Washington." Several days later, in an interview, he endorsed a three-state solution, saying that Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
should resume control over Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
. He noted that Arabs almost universally call for a restoration of the situation prior to the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
, when Gaza was part of Egypt. In addition, he mentioned that it would be beneficial to the security of Egypt to eliminate Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian influence in the territory. In an interview, Kara noted that "In all history there was never a Palestinian state." He proposed that Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, which is 90% Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
take administrative control of Arab cities in the West Bank, while Israel would control defense, major cities, and broad areas in the territory.
During the 2010 Israel forest fire, Kara stated he had information that the fire was "a terrorist act"—arson—and called for the perpetrators to be executed like Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Otto Eichmann was a German Nazi and SS-Obersturmbannführer and one of the major organizers of the Holocaust...
. Some of the 41 killed in the blaze were Druze.
In 2011, Kara and fellow MK Aryeh Eldad met with Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck
Glenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
. After Eldad said that there was a Palestinian state in Jordan, Kara added "the world doesn't understand that there are already two states here, and now they want three states. There were never Palestinians in this area" At the first International Regional Cooperation Conference in Tel Aviv, Kara said Israel should negotiate with businessmen rather than the Palestinian Authority leadership.
Settlements
A staunch supporter of Jewish settlement in the West Bank, Kara spoke at a ceremony marking the end of the settlement freeze. He criticizing it as not helpful to Israel or the PA and said that the killingsAugust 2010 West Bank shooting
The August 2010 West Bank shooting attack was an attack near Kiryat Arba, carried out by Hamas militants. Four Israeli settlers were killed after gunmen attacked their vehicle...
of four Israelis near Kiryat Arba
Kiryat Arba
Kiryat Arba or Qiryat Arba , lit. "Town of the Four," is an Israeli settlement in the Judean Mountains region of the West Bank on the edge of Hebron. Its settlers consist of a mix of Russian immigrants, American immigrants, and native-born Israelis numbering close to 10,000...
shows that the freeze only serves as "appeasement
Appeasement
The term appeasement is commonly understood to refer to a diplomatic policy aimed at avoiding war by making concessions to another power. Historian Paul Kennedy defines it as "the policy of settling international quarrels by admitting and satisfying grievances through rational negotiation and...
" and is not working. At an event marking the construction of a new building in the West bank, Kara stated: "The expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif
Gush Katif
Gush Katif was a bloc of 17 Israeli settlements in the southern Gaza strip. Gush Katif was specifically mentioned by Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli prime minister who fell victim to an assassin in 1995, as essential to Israel's security border. In August 2005, the Israeli army moved the 8,600...
brought zero results, the expulsion of the Israeli army from Lebanon has brought zero results, and the construction freeze brought zero results." Kara attended an Israeli version of the American tea party protests with other Likud MKs and members. Speakers at the event called on Obama to stop pressuring Netanyahu and for the prime minister to stand his ground and uphold Jewish rights and values. However, he abstained from a vote brought by National Union MKs that would extend sovereignty to Jewish towns in the West Bank.
Articles
External links
- Official Website (Hebrew)