Salah-Hassan Hanifes
Encyclopedia
Salah-Hassan Hanifes was a Druze
Israel
i politician who served as a member of the Knesset
for Progress and Work
between 1951 and 1959.
during the Ottoman era
, Hanifes studied at a local primary school, before attending a Druze religious centre in Lebanon
. During the 1930s he made contacts with the Haganah
, and helped enlist Druze during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
. In 1949 he was appointed to the Supreme Druze Council established by the government. Two years later he was elected to the Knesset as leader of the Progress and Work list, which was allied to Mapai
, the ruling party. He was re-elected in 1955
.
In 1959 a dispute with Mapai led to Hanifes setting up a new party, the Independent Faction for Israeli Arabs, to run in the elections that year
. However, the party won only 0.4% of the vote, failing to cross the 1% electoral threshold, and resulting in Hanifes losing his seat.
He died in 2002 at the age of 89.
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
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 Progress and Work
Progress and Work
Progress and Work was a political party in Israel.-History:The Progress and Work party was an Israeli Arab organisation formed to fight the 1951 elections...
between 1951 and 1959.
Biography
Born in Shefa-'AmrShefa-'Amr
Shefa-'Amr, also Shfar'am is a predominantly Arab city in the North District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a population of 35,300.-Etymology:...
during the Ottoman era
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, Hanifes studied at a local primary school, before attending a Druze religious centre in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. During the 1930s he made contacts with 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 helped enlist Druze during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
. In 1949 he was appointed to the Supreme Druze Council established by the government. Two years later he was elected to the Knesset as leader of the Progress and Work list, which was allied to 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...
, the ruling party. He was re-elected in 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...
.
In 1959 a dispute with Mapai led to Hanifes setting up a new party, the Independent Faction for Israeli Arabs, to run in the elections that year
Israeli legislative election, 1959
Elections for the fourth Knesset were held in Israel on 3 November 1959. Voter turnout was 81.5%.-Results:¹ The General Zionists and the Progressive Party merged to form the Liberal Party....
. However, the party won only 0.4% of the vote, failing to cross the 1% electoral threshold, and resulting in Hanifes losing his seat.
He died in 2002 at the age of 89.