Azmi Bishara
Encyclopedia
Azmi Bishara a former member of the Knesset
, the Israeli parliament, is a Palestinian
intellectual, academic, politician, and writer.
In 2007, Bishara fled Israel and resigned from the Knesset after being questioned by police on suspicion of aiding and passing information to the enemy during wartime, contacts with a foreign agent, and receiving large sums of money transferred from abroad. Bishara has denied the accusations. In February 2011, the Israeli parliament passed the so called “Bishara bill”, and later voted to strip Bishara of his parliamentary benefits, including his pension of NIS 7,228 per month he received as former Knesset member.
Bishara has written extensively on various topics. He currently is the general director of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (Doha Institute) and resides in Qatar
.
.
Bishara attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
, and was the head of the Arab Student Union. In 1976, he was instrumental in setting up the Arab Student Committees and Campus Lands Defense Committee against the occupation of the Israeli-occupied territories
. At the time Bishara was a member of the Israeli Communist Party Rakah (now part of Hadash
), and supported an Internationalist
-Marxist political agenda. He was one of the founders of Muwatin, the Palestinian Institute for the Study of Democracy, and of the Society for Arab Culture.
Upon completing his Ph.D in philosophy at Humboldt University of Berlin
(then East Germany) in 1986, he joined the faculty of Bir Zeit University, and went on to head the Philosophy
and Cultural Studies Department for two years, from 1994 to 1996. He has also worked as a senior researcher at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute
.
Bishara was the first Arab citizen of Israel
to run for Prime Minister
in the 1999 election
, but dropped out of the race two days before election day. In the end, only Ehud Barak
and Benyamin Netanyahu were left as final candidates, with Barak emerging victorious.
In 2003, the Israeli Supreme Court
"overturned Central Elections Committee decisions to disqualify MKs Ahmad Tibi and Azmi Bishara, and Bishara's party, Balad, from running in the elections to the 16th Knesset." The CEC's decision was supported by Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein, "who went so far as to submit his own petition to the CEC against the party and its leader." "The CEC ruled that Bishara and Balad sought to destroy the Jewish character of the state and supported the armed struggle against it."
where he was accused of expressed support for Hezbollah. Upon his return to Israel, he was indicted and charged with incitement to violence and support for a terrorist organization, as defined by Israel's Prevention of Terror Ordinance
.
Bishara again visited Syria in September 2006, where he warned of the possibility that "Israel launch a preliminary offensive in more than one place, in a bid to overcome the internal crisis in the country and in an attempt to restore its deterrence capability." He and members of his party also visited Lebanon, where they told the Lebanese prime minister that Hizbullah's resistance to Israel has "lifted the spirit of the Arab people". Soon thereafter at Interior Minister Roni "Bar-On's request, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz ordered a criminal investigation be opened against Balad MKs Azmi Bashara, Jamal Zahalka and Wassel Taha over their recent visit to Syria", as "[a]fter Bashara's last trip in 2001, the Knesset passed a law forbidding MKs from visiting any enemy state."
via the Israeli Embassy in Cairo
, following a police investigation into his foreign contacts, and accusations of aiding the enemy during wartime, passing information on to the enemy and contacts with a foreign agent, as well as laundering money received from foreign sources. He was said to be "considering staying abroad because he feared a long term jail sentence and an end to his political career." He also stated that he believed he wouldn't receive a fair trial.
Following a petition by Haaretz
and other media outlets to lift a gag order
preventing publication of information relating to the specific charges being laid against Azmi Bishara, on May 2, 2007 the Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court announced the gag order would be fully lifted. One week prior, the court had allowed ONLY for the fact that Bishara is suspected of assisting the enemy in wartime, transmitting information to the enemy, contact with a foreign agent and money-laundering to be publicized.
Bishara is accused of giving Hizbullah information on strategic locations in Israel that should be attacked with rockets during the 2006 Lebanon War, in exchange for huge amounts of money. Wiretaps were authorized by the Israeli High Court of Justice. Investigators say that Bishara recommended long-range rocket attacks which would serve Hizbullah cause.
According to court documents "Bishara was questioned twice in the case and during the last encounter he told interrogators that he intends to leave Israel for a couple of days. He said he would attend a third questioning session soon upon his return to Israel".
Bishara addressed a rally of supporters in Nazareth via telephone in April 2007. He told the thousands of supporters that, "My guilt is that I love my homeland... our intellect and our words are our weapons. Never in my life did I draw a gun or kill anyone."
Said Nafa
, Bishara's replacement in the Knesset, commented on the charges leading up to Bishara's resignation, saying, "There were many instances in which the Shin Bet tried to set people up ... They're just trying to behead a prominent Arab leader. They will fail."
On February 14, 2011, Bishara's pension as a former Knesset member was canceled through a new law. The law was specially written to handle his case.
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...
, the Israeli parliament, is a 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...
intellectual, academic, politician, and writer.
In 2007, Bishara fled Israel and resigned from the Knesset after being questioned by police on suspicion of aiding and passing information to the enemy during wartime, contacts with a foreign agent, and receiving large sums of money transferred from abroad. Bishara has denied the accusations. In February 2011, the Israeli parliament passed the so called “Bishara bill”, and later voted to strip Bishara of his parliamentary benefits, including his pension of NIS 7,228 per month he received as former Knesset member.
Bishara has written extensively on various topics. He currently is the general director of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (Doha Institute) and resides in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
.
Early life and education
Bishara was born in Nazareth, He went to school in Nazareth Baptist school, where he established the first National Committee of Arab High School Students, becoming its chairman in 1974. He is the older brother of Marwan BisharaMarwan Bishara
Marwan Bishara is Al Jazeera English's senior political analyst and the editor & host of Empire, which examines global powers and their agendas. He was previously a professor of International Relations at the American University of Paris and a fellow at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes et Sciences...
.
Bishara attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
, and was the head of the Arab Student Union. In 1976, he was instrumental in setting up the Arab Student Committees and Campus Lands Defense Committee against the occupation of the Israeli-occupied territories
Israeli-occupied territories
The Israeli-occupied territories are the territories which have been designated as occupied territory by the United Nations and other international organizations, governments and others to refer to the territory seized by Israel during the Six-Day War of 1967 from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria...
. At the time Bishara was a member of the Israeli Communist Party Rakah (now part of Hadash
Hadash
Hadash is a Jewish and Arab socialist front of organizations that runs for the Israeli parliament. It currently has four members in the 120-seat Knesset.-Background:...
), and supported an Internationalist
Internationalism (politics)
Internationalism is a political movement which advocates a greater economic and political cooperation among nations for the theoretical benefit of all...
-Marxist political agenda. He was one of the founders of Muwatin, the Palestinian Institute for the Study of Democracy, and of the Society for Arab Culture.
Upon completing his Ph.D in philosophy at Humboldt University of Berlin
Humboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
(then East Germany) in 1986, he joined the faculty of Bir Zeit University, and went on to head the Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and Cultural Studies Department for two years, from 1994 to 1996. He has also worked as a senior researcher at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute
Van Leer Jerusalem Institute
The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute is an academic institute in Jerusalem established in 1959 by the Van Leer family of the Netherlands.The Van Leer Institute is a center for the interdisciplinary study and discussion of issues related to philosophy, society, culture and education...
.
Political career
Bishara has been a Knesset member ever since the fourteenth Knesset (first seating June 17, 1996) and "was a key founder of the political party that he represents in the Knesset, the National Democratic Assembly (NDA-Balad)." (The NDA is at times misnamed the "National Democratic Alliance".)Bishara was the first Arab citizen of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel refers to citizens of Israel who are not Jewish, and whose cultural and linguistic heritage or ethnic identity is Arab....
to run for Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
in the 1999 election
Israeli prime ministerial election, 1999
The second Prime Ministerial election in Israel was held on 17 May 1999 alongside elections for the 15th Knesset. Voter turnout was 69.0%.-Context:...
, but dropped out of the race two days before election day. In the end, only Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak is an Israeli politician who served as Prime Minister from 1999 until 2001. He was leader of the Labor Party until January 2011 and holds the posts of Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister in Binyamin Netanyahu's government....
and Benyamin Netanyahu were left as final candidates, with Barak emerging victorious.
In 2003, the Israeli Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Israel
The Supreme Court is at the head of the court system and highest judicial instance in Israel. The Supreme Court sits in Jerusalem.The area of its jurisdiction is all of Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. A ruling of the Supreme Court is binding upon every court, other than the Supreme...
"overturned Central Elections Committee decisions to disqualify MKs Ahmad Tibi and Azmi Bishara, and Bishara's party, Balad, from running in the elections to the 16th Knesset." The CEC's decision was supported by Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein, "who went so far as to submit his own petition to the CEC against the party and its leader." "The CEC ruled that Bishara and Balad sought to destroy the Jewish character of the state and supported the armed struggle against it."
Visits to Syria
Bishara visited Syria in 2001, and gave a speech at a memorial ceremony for Syrian President Hafez al-AssadHafez al-Assad
Hafez ibn 'Ali ibn Sulayman al-Assad or more commonly Hafez al-Assad was the President of Syria for three decades. Assad's rule consolidated the power of the central government after decades of coups and counter-coups, such as Operation Wappen in 1957 conducted by the Eisenhower administration and...
where he was accused of expressed support for Hezbollah. Upon his return to Israel, he was indicted and charged with incitement to violence and support for a terrorist organization, as defined by Israel's Prevention of Terror Ordinance
Prevention of Terror Ordinance
Prevention of Terror Ordinance is the statute used by the prosecution in most trials in Israel against suspects arrested by the Shabak, Israeli Police, Magav/Border Guard, or the Israel Defense Forces for security offenses. The PTO has been used in both military and civil courts, though they are...
.
Bishara again visited Syria in September 2006, where he warned of the possibility that "Israel launch a preliminary offensive in more than one place, in a bid to overcome the internal crisis in the country and in an attempt to restore its deterrence capability." He and members of his party also visited Lebanon, where they told the Lebanese prime minister that Hizbullah's resistance to Israel has "lifted the spirit of the Arab people". Soon thereafter at Interior Minister Roni "Bar-On's request, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz ordered a criminal investigation be opened against Balad MKs Azmi Bashara, Jamal Zahalka and Wassel Taha over their recent visit to Syria", as "[a]fter Bashara's last trip in 2001, the Knesset passed a law forbidding MKs from visiting any enemy state."
Resignation from Knesset
On April 22, 2007, Bishara resigned from the KnessetKnesset
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...
via the Israeli Embassy in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, following a police investigation into his foreign contacts, and accusations of aiding the enemy during wartime, passing information on to the enemy and contacts with a foreign agent, as well as laundering money received from foreign sources. He was said to be "considering staying abroad because he feared a long term jail sentence and an end to his political career." He also stated that he believed he wouldn't receive a fair trial.
Following a petition by Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
and other media outlets to lift a gag order
Gag order
A gag order is an order, sometimes a legal order by a court or government, other times a private order by an employer or other institution, restricting information or comment from being made public.Gag orders are often used against participants involved in a lawsuit or criminal trial...
preventing publication of information relating to the specific charges being laid against Azmi Bishara, on May 2, 2007 the Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court announced the gag order would be fully lifted. One week prior, the court had allowed ONLY for the fact that Bishara is suspected of assisting the enemy in wartime, transmitting information to the enemy, contact with a foreign agent and money-laundering to be publicized.
Bishara is accused of giving Hizbullah information on strategic locations in Israel that should be attacked with rockets during the 2006 Lebanon War, in exchange for huge amounts of money. Wiretaps were authorized by the Israeli High Court of Justice. Investigators say that Bishara recommended long-range rocket attacks which would serve Hizbullah cause.
According to court documents "Bishara was questioned twice in the case and during the last encounter he told interrogators that he intends to leave Israel for a couple of days. He said he would attend a third questioning session soon upon his return to Israel".
Bishara addressed a rally of supporters in Nazareth via telephone in April 2007. He told the thousands of supporters that, "My guilt is that I love my homeland... our intellect and our words are our weapons. Never in my life did I draw a gun or kill anyone."
Said Nafa
Said Nafa
Said Nafa is a politician and lawyer. A Druze Palestinian Arab citizen of Israel, he is a member of the Knesset for the Arab party, Balad.-Biography:...
, Bishara's replacement in the Knesset, commented on the charges leading up to Bishara's resignation, saying, "There were many instances in which the Shin Bet tried to set people up ... They're just trying to behead a prominent Arab leader. They will fail."
On February 14, 2011, Bishara's pension as a former Knesset member was canceled through a new law. The law was specially written to handle his case.
Miscellaneous
- According to The Jerusalem PostThe Jerusalem PostThe Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language broadsheet newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. The daily readership numbers do not approach those of the major Hebrew newspapers....
"[h]e received a kidney transplant in March 1997 at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem's Ein KeremEin KeremEin Kerem , lit. “Spring of the Vineyard”, and - ‘Ein Kārem), is an ancient village of the Jerusalem District and now a neighbourhood in southwest of Jerusalem. According to Christian tradition, John the Baptist was born in Ein Kerem, leading to the establishment of many churches and monasteries....
", and (in 1999) was "a spokesmen for the National Association of DialysisDialysisIn medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure...
Patients in Israel." - Bishara is a Board member of the Arab Democracy FoundationArab Democracy FoundationThe Arab Democracy Foundation is an independent international Arab civil society organization advocating democracy as a culture, a way of life, and the best system for good governance. ADF was established on May 27, 2007 at the initiative of Arab democracy advocates, and with support from the...
.
Published works
- Min yahudiyat al-dawla hata Sharon ("From the Jewishness of the State to Sharon") (2005),
- The Ruptured Political Discourse and Other Studies (Arabic, 1998)
- The Palestinian Intifada and Its Reflections in the Israeli Public Opinion
- Two novels of a planned trilogy: The Checkpoint (2004) (available in French translation, and a Hebrew translation is forthcoming) and Love in the Shadow Zone (2005).
Arabic
- On the Democratic Option: Four Critical Studies (Arabic) Re-published by the Center for Arab Unity Studies, Lebanon, 1993 (with Burhan GhaliounBurhan GhaliounDr. Burhan Ghalioun , is a Syrian-French political scientist and a professor of political sociology at the Université de Paris III Sorbonne University in Paris., and the chairman of the Syrian opposition Transitional National Council...
, George Giacaman, and Said Zeedani) - Ziad Abu-Amr, with a Critical Commentary by Ali JarbawiAli JarbawiAli Jarbawi is the current Minister of Planning and Administrative Development of the Government of the Palestinian National Authority.. Prior to this appointment he worked in government as a special adviser to the Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and supervised the preparation of the Palestinian...
and Azmi Bishara: Civil Society and Democratic Change in Palestinian Society 1995 (Arabic) - A Critical Perspective on Palestinian Democracy 1995 (Arabic, with Musa Budeiri, Jamil Hilal, George Giacaman, and Azmi Bishara)
- A Contribution to the Critique of Civil Society 1996 (Arabic)
- The Ruptured Political Discourse and other Studies 1998 (Arabic)
- The Site of Meaning: Essays from the First Year of the Intifada 2002 (Arabic)
- In the Wake of the Israeli Invasion: Issues of Palestinian National Strategy 2002 (Arabic)
- Theses on a Deferred Awakening 2003 (Arabic)
- The Elements of Democracy Series, Series Editor: Dr. Azmi Bishara (Arabic, 12 publications from '94 to '99)
English
- The Arabs in Israel Moreton-in-Marsh : Arris, 2003
- The Palestinians of Israel/an interview with Azmi Bishara in The new Intifada:resisting Israel’s apartheid, edited by Roane Carey;introduction by Noam Chomsky, London; New York:Verso, 2001, ISBN 1950943778
- The Palestinian elections:an assessment, Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1997
- Universal instincts; The West, served by Arab "moderates", is attempting to take the Arab world back to the Stone Age, 5 October 2006, Al-Ahram Weekly, issue 815
- Ministry of strategic threats; Avigdor Lieberman's arrival in the Israeli cabinet is symptomatic of the degradation of the country's political system, 1 November 2006, Al-Ahram Weekly, issue 818
- Realities of death; The value of life has little to do with the value accorded to death and the latter, is determined as much by who did the killing as by the identity of the victim, 16 November 2006, Al-Ahram Weekly, issue 820
- A selective memory, 24 November 2006, Al-Ahram Weekly, issue 821
- Strong in spite of themselves; Now is the time for America's Arab allies to whisper advice to Washington, thanks to the resistance in Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine, 8 December 2006, Al-Ahram Weekly, issue 823*Olmert: as expected; Israel is demanding the absurd, but the illusion is shattered if Arab states understand that the game of axis politics is not in their interest, 22 March 2007, Al-Ahram Weekly, issue 837
- Initiative versus principle; If Israel rejects the best Arab position, perhaps the Arabs should revert to maximal demands and ask Israel to propose a plan, 29 March 2007, Al-Ahram Weekly
- Shattered illusions, 19 April 2007, Al-Ahram Weekly, issue 841
- Israeli games again, 30 August 2007, Al-Ahram Weekly, issue 860
- Ignorant thieves, 6 September 2007, Al-Ahram Weekly, issue 861
- Headlong to more of the same, 18 October 2007, Al-Ahram Weekly, issue 867
- US war insanity, 8 November 2007, Al-Ahram Weekly, issue 870
- Madrid redux; Bush's peace meeting is nothing but an empty orgy of rhetoric, 29 November 2007, Al-AhramAl-AhramAl-Ahram , founded in 1875, is the most widely circulating Egyptian daily newspaper, and the second oldest after al-Waqa'i`al-Masriya . It is majority owned by the Egyptian government....
Weekly, issue 873
German
- Die Jerusalem Frage : Israelis und Palaestinenser im Gespraech. Teddy Kollek, Hanan Ashrawi, Amos Oz, Faisal Husseini, Ehud Olmert, Albert Aghazarian, Shulamit Aloni, Nazmi al-Jubeh, Meron Benvenisti, Ikrima SabriEkrima Sa'id SabriSheikh Ekrima Sa'id Sabri was the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine from October 1994 to July 1, 2006. He was appointed by Yasser Arafat.He has a doctorate from Al Azhar University in Egypt on the “Islamic Endowment Between Theory and Practice”....
, Michel Sabbah/Uri Avnery, Azmi Bishara (Hg.) (Translated from the Arabic, English or Hebrew by various translators), Heidelberg : Palmyra, c1996 - --alles ändert sich die ganze Zeit:soziale Bewegung(en) im "Nahen Osten"/Jörg Später (Hrsg.), mit Beiträgen von Azmi Bishara et al., Freiburg (Breisgau) : Informationszentrum Dritte Welt, 1994
Awards
- The “Ibn Rushd 'Averroes' Prize for Freedom of Thought” for the year 2002 in BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. - The Global Exchange Human Rights Award for the year 2003 in San Francisco.
External links
- Azmi Bishara homepage
- "Why Israel is After Me" Azmi Bishara's defense in May 2007, "ironic twist reminiscent of France's Dreyfus affair".
- Blip.tv, video interview with Azmi Bishara, 30 mins.
- Zwei Arten der Staatsbürgerschaft. Ibn Rushd Preis für freies Danken. Rede des Preisträgers Dr. Azmi Bishara, Berlin 14.12.2002 (German)