Seif el-Din el-Zubi
Encyclopedia
Seif el-Din el-Zoubi was an Israeli-Arab politician.
, where he attended high school. During the British Mandate of Palestine, he was active in the Haganah
, and later received the Fighter of the State Decoration. From 1959 to 1974 he was the mayor of Nazareth.
In 1949 he was elected to the Knesset
on the Democratic List of Nazareth
. He was re-elected in 1951 on the Democratic List for Israeli Arabs
, and 1955
, but resigned from the Knesset on 13 February 1956. In 1959 he became mayor of Nazareth
, holding the post until 1965, when he returned to the Knesset on the Progress and Development
list, which briefly merged into Cooperation and Development
before regaining its independence. He was re-elected in 1969 elections
, and in 1971 became mayor of Nazareth again, holding the post until 1974. After re-election in 1973
, el-Zoubi was appointed Deputy Speaker of the Knesset. In 1974 Progress and Development merged into the Alignment
, before leaving it and forming the United Arab List
. He was re-elected for a final time on the United Arab List slate in 1977
, before resigning his seat on 3 April 1979.
He died in 1986.
argued that he was "upgraded" by Mapai
in exchange for relinquishing national demands and legitimizing land confiscations. Yitzhak Laor
described his conduct as tantamount to taking political bribery.
Biography
El-Zoubi was born in 1913 in NazarethNazareth
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...
, where he attended high school. During the British Mandate of Palestine, he was active in the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
, and later received the Fighter of the State Decoration. From 1959 to 1974 he was the mayor of Nazareth.
In 1949 he was elected 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...
on the Democratic List of Nazareth
Democratic List of Nazareth
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.-History:In the 1949 elections,...
. He was re-elected in 1951 on 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...
, and 1955
Israeli legislative election, 1955
Elections for the third Knesset were held in Israel on 26 July 1955. Voter turnout was 82.8%.-Results:Mapai retained its plurality in the Knesset, although its share of the vote dropped by 5.1 and its share of seats dropped from 47 to 40...
, but resigned from the Knesset on 13 February 1956. In 1959 he became mayor of 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...
, holding the post until 1965, when he returned to the Knesset on the Progress and Development
Progress and Development
Progress and Development was a political party in Israel.-History:Progress and Development was an Israeli Arab organisation formed to fight the 1959 elections...
list, which briefly merged into Cooperation and Development
Cooperation and Development
Cooperation and Development was a short-lived political party in Israel.-History:Cooperation and Development was established on 5 July 1966 during the sixth Knesset, when two of the three Israeli Arab parties, Cooperation and Brotherhood and Progress and Development, merged...
before regaining its independence. He was re-elected in 1969 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1969
Elections for the seventh Knesset were held in Israel on 28 October 1969. Voter turnout was 81.7%.-Results:¹ Meir Avizohar defected from the National List to the Alignment² Avner Shaki left the National Religious Party and remained a single MK...
, and in 1971 became mayor of Nazareth again, holding the post until 1974. After re-election in 1973
Israeli legislative election, 1973
The Elections for the eighth Knesset were held on 31 December 1973. Voter turnout was 78.6%.-Results:1 Aryeh Eliav left the Alignment and merged with Ratz to form Ya'ad - Civil Rights Movement...
, el-Zoubi was appointed Deputy Speaker of the Knesset. In 1974 Progress and Development merged into the Alignment
Alignment (political party)
The Alignment was an alliance of the major left-wing parties in Israel between the 1960s and 1990s. It was established in 1965 as an alliance of Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda but was dissolved three years later when the two parties and Rafi formally merged into the Israeli Labor Party...
, before leaving it and forming the United Arab List
United Arab List (1977)
The United Arab List was an Israeli Arab political party in Israel during the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is not connected to the modern day United Arab List.-Background:...
. He was re-elected for a final time on the United Arab List slate in 1977
Israeli legislative election, 1977
The Elections for the ninth Knesset were held on 17 May 1977. For the first time in Israeli political history, the right-wing, led by Likud, won the election, ending almost 30 years of rule by the left-wing Alignment and its predecessor, Mapai...
, before resigning his seat on 3 April 1979.
He died in 1986.
Controversy
According to Israeli historian Ori Stendel, el-Zoubi had used his ties with the Israeli establishment to compensate for the decline of his political power within the Zubia clan. Historian Hillel CohenHillel Cohen
Hillel Cohen is an Israeli scholar who studies and writes about Jewish-Arab relations in Palestine/Israel. He is a Research Fellow at the Harry S...
argued that he was "upgraded" by 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...
in exchange for relinquishing national demands and legitimizing land confiscations. Yitzhak Laor
Yitzhak Laor
Yitzhak Laor, is an Israeli poet, author and journalist. He is the author of . He is mostly known for his poetry of political protest, particularly about the Lebanese War of 1982 and the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories...
described his conduct as tantamount to taking political bribery.