Nadia Hilou
Encyclopedia
Nadia Hilou is an Arab
-Israel
i politician, who served as a member of the Knesset
for the Labor Party between 2006 and 2009. She was the second female Israeli Arab MK after Hussniya Jabara
, and also the first female Christian MK.
to Christian Arab parents, Hilou studied at Tel Aviv University
where she gained a BA in social work in 1976. She later returned to qualify for an MA in the same subject 1992. In 1997 she became director of the Division for the Status of Women in the Union of local authorities, and in 2002 became deputy chairwoman of the Naamat Women's Organisation.
Hilou entered politics following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin
in 1995. She joined the Labour Party, and ran in party primaries prior to the Knesset elections in 1996
and 1999; however, on both occasions she failed to finish high enough up the list to win a seat, and was criticised for not joining one of the Arab parties. However, in the run-up to the 2006 elections Hilou won 15th place (a slot reserved for women) on Labour's list in the party's primaries. The party won 19 seats and Hilou took her place in the Knesset, relinquishing her previous positions. She served as chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. One of her first acts was to co-sponsor a successful bill strengthening laws against cyber sex with minors. She has also initiated legislation on compensating the relatives of murder victims.
Hilou lives in Jaffa, and is married with four children. In 2007 she voiced a complaint about the treatment of her children at Ben-Gurion Airport by security staff, saying that their treatment was "humiliating."
She lost her seat in the 2009 elections
.
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...
-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, 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 the Labor Party between 2006 and 2009. She was the second female Israeli Arab MK after Hussniya Jabara
Hussniya Jabara
Hussniya Jabara is a former Israeli 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.-Biography:Jabara was born to a Muslim farming family in Tayibe...
, and also the first female Christian MK.
Biography
Born in JaffaJaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
to Christian Arab parents, Hilou studied at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
where she gained a BA in social work in 1976. She later returned to qualify for an MA in the same subject 1992. In 1997 she became director of the Division for the Status of Women in the Union of local authorities, and in 2002 became deputy chairwoman of the Naamat Women's Organisation.
Hilou entered politics following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin
Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin
The assassination of Yitzhak Rabin took place on November 4, 1995 at 21:30, at the end of a rally in support of the Oslo Accords at the Kings of Israel Square in Tel Aviv...
in 1995. She joined the Labour Party, and ran in party primaries prior to the Knesset elections in 1996
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...
and 1999; however, on both occasions she failed to finish high enough up the list to win a seat, and was criticised for not joining one of the Arab parties. However, in the run-up to the 2006 elections Hilou won 15th place (a slot reserved for women) on Labour's list in the party's primaries. The party won 19 seats and Hilou took her place in the Knesset, relinquishing her previous positions. She served as chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. One of her first acts was to co-sponsor a successful bill strengthening laws against cyber sex with minors. She has also initiated legislation on compensating the relatives of murder victims.
Hilou lives in Jaffa, and is married with four children. In 2007 she voiced a complaint about the treatment of her children at Ben-Gurion Airport by security staff, saying that their treatment was "humiliating."
She lost her seat in the 2009 elections
Israeli 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...
.