Hamad Abu Rabia
Encyclopedia
Sheikh Hamad Abu Rabia was a Bedouin
Israel
i politician and a member of the Knesset
, best known for being assassinated by sons of another Israeli Arab Druze politician.
, where he attended elementary school. He attended high school in Hebron
. At the age of 18 he became sheikh of his tribe and took interest in fostering its education.
Abu Rabia was first elected to the Knesset in 1973
on the Arab List for Bedouins and Villagers
, becoming the first Bedouin to serve in the Knesset. In 1974 the party joined the Alignment
, but broke away again in 1976. The following year it merged into the original United Arab List
. He was re-elected in the 1977 elections
, and became a member of the Committee for Public Services.
The United Arab List had won a single seat, which Abu Rabia and Jabr Muadi
had agreed to rotate. However, Abu Rabia refused to vacate his seat, with a court ruling that the agreement was invalid. On 12 January 1981 Abu Rabia was assassinated outside a hotel in Jerusalem by Muadi's sons. Despite the family links to the killing, Muadi replaced Abu Rabia in the Knesset.
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
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 and 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...
, best known for being assassinated by sons of another Israeli Arab Druze politician.
Biography
Abu Rabia was born and grew up in the NegevNegev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
, where he attended elementary school. He attended high school in Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
. At the age of 18 he became sheikh of his tribe and took interest in fostering its education.
Abu Rabia was first elected to the Knesset 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...
on the Arab List for Bedouins and Villagers
Arab List for Bedouins and Villagers
The Arab List for Bedouin and Villagers was an Israeli Arab political party in Israel.-Background:The party was created in the run-up to the 1973 elections as an Israeli Arab party associated with the governing Alignment...
, becoming the first Bedouin to serve in the Knesset. In 1974 the party joined 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...
, but broke away again in 1976. The following year it merged into the original 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 in the 1977 elections
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...
, and became a member of the Committee for Public Services.
The United Arab List had won a single seat, which Abu Rabia and Jabr Muadi
Jabr Muadi
Sheikh Jabr Muadi was a Druze Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for seven different parties between 1951 and 1981.-Biography:...
had agreed to rotate. However, Abu Rabia refused to vacate his seat, with a court ruling that the agreement was invalid. On 12 January 1981 Abu Rabia was assassinated outside a hotel in Jerusalem by Muadi's sons. Despite the family links to the killing, Muadi replaced Abu Rabia in the Knesset.