NEWS: First Arab Appointed to Israeli Cabinet

POLITICS: First Arab Appointed to Israeli Cabinet

The Israeli/Palestinian conflict is often couched in terms of a religious war, with Palestinians as Muslims and Israelis as Jews. But that analysis doesn't take into account the significant Arab population in Israel, many of whom are active in the Israeli Defense Forces, though not always happily. On Israel's place in the region, the minority Arabs are often torn between loyalty to their own country, which affords them considerable rights in comparison with neighboring Arab nations, and sympathy for Arabs seen as being persecuted by aggressive Israeli military tactics. While Israel does have a representative government, only a tiny fraction of its 120 seats belong to its Arab minority. But the appointment today of Raleb Majadele, a known union leader and Muslim Arab, to the position of minister of science, culture and sport, could be a signal of the increasing political power of this group.

Whether this is simply a token appointment or intended to actually bring Arab Israelis closer into the decision making process for the government remains to be seen. However, given the history of Labour leader Amir Peretz, who appointed Majadele, it seems at least on the surface to be a sincere gesture of good will towards the Arab community within Israel; Peretz has a long history of progressive politics and dovish stances towards Israel's neighbors and the intifada. The appointment could also help with strained relations with other neighboring countries like Jordan and Egypt, forced to step up their anti-Israeli rhetoric this past summer to placate citizens who were up in arms about the Israeli attacks in Lebanon. Regardless, it does seem like a positive development for the country's government.

Salah Tarif was the first Arab member of the Israeli cabinet in 2001. Majadele is the first Arab Muslim member of the Israeli cabinet. The headline of this article needs to be changed.

Good call.

Good Fact Checking.

He was the first Druze member but Mizrahi Jews, aka Arab Jews, served in the cabinet before then. I tried to find out who was the first but couldn't find that information anywhere.

Tarif was also a captain in the paratroops and tanks so props. And I suppose since we're on the topic of equality, like other high-ranking politicians here, he was convicted of bribery and breach of trust in 2002, so he's equally corrupt. He's been Deputy Speaker, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs,and then was Minister without Portfolio under Sharon.

Our Deputy Minister of Education, Culture and Sport, Majalli Whbee, is also a Druse, a Lt Colonel of the IDF. He's also what amounts to Deputy President of the country, as he'll take over when our acting president ( a woman, btw- Dalia Itzik) goes abroad.

We also have an openly gay MK, Uzi Even of Labour.

And the Arab Jews have been in parliament since the first one in 1949, in the Sephardic and Edot of Mizrach parties. Arab Muslims in the north were represented in the Democratic List of Nazareth, as well as being associated with Mapai .

Also interesting is when Peretz threatened to pull his very important party out of the coalition if the dude wasnt made minister, and that Arab MKs voted against the dude's appointment but "rushed to congratulate Majadele following the Knesset vote." Oh politics.

It's an interesting move. I hope it's more than a gesture.

any mizrahi, or sephardic jew would kick your ass if you refered to them as an arab-jew.