Hussniya Jabara
Encyclopedia
Hussniya Jabara is a former Israel
i politician who served as a member of the Knesset
for Meretz between 1999 and 2003. She was the first Israeli Arab woman to become a Knesset member.
. She studied physiotheraphy at the Wingate Institute.
She joined the Na'amat
women's organisation, and was chairwoman of its Tayibe branch between 1992 and 1994. Between 1995 and 1997 she served as Women's and Youth director at the Jewish-Arab Institute at Beit Berl
Academic College, and became chairwoman of the Department for the Middle East at the college's International Institute.
Despite opposition from her father (who had also opposed her going to university), Jabara sought to enter politics. Prior to the 1999 elections she won tenth place on the Meretz list, and entered the Knesset after the party won ten seats. During her first term she chaired the Subcommittee for the Advancement of the Status of Arab Women and was also a member of the Committee on the Status of Women.
In 2002, she went to Ramallah
to meet with Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Arafat
, after five Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip
. She told him that Israel's assassination policy is not helping Israel, the way the suicide bombers are not helping the Palestinian people
.
She retained tenth place on the Meretz list for the 2003 elections, but lost her seat as the party was reduced to six MKs.
Jabara is married to Fathi, a driving instructor, and has three children.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician who served as 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 Meretz between 1999 and 2003. She was the first Israeli Arab woman to become a Knesset member.
Biography
Jabara was born to a Muslim farming family in TayibeTayibe
Tayibe is an Israeli Arab city in central Israel, 12 kilometers east of Kfar Saba. In 2007, it had a population of 36,800. Tayibe is part of the Triangle.-History:...
. She studied physiotheraphy at the Wingate Institute.
She joined the Na'amat
Na'amat
Na'amat is an Israeli women's organization affiliated with the Labour Zionist Movement. Na'amat was founded in 1921.-Etymology:Na'amat is an acronym for Nashim Ovdot U'Mitnadvot , lit. "Working and Volunteering Women."-History:...
women's organisation, and was chairwoman of its Tayibe branch between 1992 and 1994. Between 1995 and 1997 she served as Women's and Youth director at the Jewish-Arab Institute at Beit Berl
Beit Berl
Beit Berl is a village and the largest academic college in Israel in number of students and the range of programs it offers. Located on the outskirts of Kfar Sava, it falls under the jurisdiction of Drom HaSharon Regional Council...
Academic College, and became chairwoman of the Department for the Middle East at the college's International Institute.
Despite opposition from her father (who had also opposed her going to university), Jabara sought to enter politics. Prior to the 1999 elections she won tenth place on the Meretz list, and entered the Knesset after the party won ten seats. During her first term she chaired the Subcommittee for the Advancement of the Status of Arab Women and was also a member of the Committee on the Status of Women.
In 2002, she went to Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
to meet with Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
, after five Palestinians were killed in 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...
. She told him that Israel's assassination policy is not helping Israel, the way the suicide bombers are not helping the Palestinian people
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...
.
She retained tenth place on the Meretz list for the 2003 elections, but lost her seat as the party was reduced to six MKs.
Jabara is married to Fathi, a driving instructor, and has three children.