Democratic List of Nazareth
Encyclopedia
The Democratic List of Nazareth was a political party in Israel
and the only Israeli Arab party to win seats in the first Knesset
. The party, which was sponsored by David Ben-Gurion
's Mapai
, was so named as it was based in Nazareth
, the largest Arab
city in Israel.
. It was represented by Seif el-Din el-Zoubi and its leader, Amin-Salim Jarjora
.
The party was sponsored by Mapai, as Ben Gurion was keen to include Israeli Arabs in the functioning of the state in order to prove Jews and Arabs could co-exist peacefully and productively, and during the 1950s several other Israeli Arab parties associated with Mapai appeared. As a result of the association, the party was part of the coalitions that formed the first and second governments during the first Knesset.
The party did not run in the 1951 election
, although el-Zoubi was elected on the list of the Democratic List for Israeli Arabs
. Jarjora did not return to the Knesset
, but went on to become Mayor of Nazareth in 1954, a position he filled until being replaced by el-Zoubi in 1959.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the only Israeli Arab party to win seats in the first Knesset
Israeli legislative election, 1949
Elections for the Constituent Assembly were held in newly independent Israel on 25 January 1949. Voter turnout was 86.9%. Two days after its first meeting on 14 February 1949, legislators voted to change the name of the body to the Knesset...
. The party, which was sponsored by David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion
' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
's Mapai
Mapai
Mapai was a left-wing political party in Israel, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the Israeli Labor Party in 1968...
, was so named as it was based in Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, the largest Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
city in Israel.
History
In the 1949 elections, the Democratic List of Nazareth gained 1.7% of the vote and two seats in 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...
. It was represented by Seif el-Din el-Zoubi and its leader, Amin-Salim Jarjora
Amin-Salim Jarjora
Amin-Salim Jarjora was an Israeli Arab politician who headed the Democratic List of Nazareth party, for whom he served as a member of the Knesset between 1949 and 1951.-Biography:...
.
The party was sponsored by Mapai, as Ben Gurion was keen to include Israeli Arabs in the functioning of the state in order to prove Jews and Arabs could co-exist peacefully and productively, and during the 1950s several other Israeli Arab parties associated with Mapai appeared. As a result of the association, the party was part of the coalitions that formed the first and second governments during the first Knesset.
The party did not run in the 1951 election
Israeli legislative election, 1951
Elections for the second Knesset were held in Israel on 30 July 1951. Voter turnout was 75.1%.-Results:¹ Rostam Bastuni, Avraham Berman and Moshe Sneh left Mapam and set up the Left Faction. Bastuni later returned to Mapam whilst Berman and Sneh joined Maki. Hannah Lamdan and David Livschitz left...
, although el-Zoubi was elected on the list of the Democratic List for Israeli Arabs
Democratic List for Israeli Arabs
The Democratic List for Israeli Arabs was a political party in Israel.-History:In the 1951 elections the party gained 2% of the vote and won 3 seats, which were taken by Seif el-Din el-Zoubi, Masaad Kassis and Jabr Muadi...
. Jarjora did not return 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...
, but went on to become Mayor of Nazareth in 1954, a position he filled until being replaced by el-Zoubi in 1959.
External links
- Nazareth Democratic Party Knesset website