Mohammad Barakeh
Mohammad Barakeh | |
---|---|
Faction represented in the Knesset | |
1999–2015 | Hadash |
Personal details | |
Born | Shefa-'Amr, Israel | 29 July 1955
Mohammad Barakeh (
Biography
Born in
Following the end of his studies, Barakeh returned to his hometown of Shefa-'Amr, a place with considerable importance in the internal politics of Israel's Arab citizens, and took up political activity in the local
In February 2005, Barakeh was threatened by
]In a letter, Marzel wrote to Barakeh: "the evacuation bill was passed with your backing, and now it is only a matter of time before it is implemented on other sectors of society, including you and your friends." Marzel wrote that Barakeh's vote "in favor of expelling Jews from their homes in Gaza and the northern Samaria" would result in "appraisers [being] sent to your home to estimate its value."[2]
Barakeh was re-elected again in
In 2014 he was convicted of assault, but cleared of the other charges;[5] the charges of insulting a public servant and interfering with a police officer in the line of duty were withdrawn in 2011 as they fell under his parliamentary immunity.[6] Barakeh was eventually fined 400 NIS and ordered to pay the assault victim 250 NIS.[7]
In 2010 Barakeh joined an Israeli delegation visiting World War II-era concentration camps. His inclusion in the trip was opposed by two right-wing Israeli legislators led by Danny Danon, who claimed he would use the visit to attack Israel, and who lobbied unsuccessfully to have Barakeh barred from the commemoration.[8] The visit drew criticism from Israeli Arabs who said the timing was inappropriate due to Israeli-Palestinian tensions.[8]
After visiting the extermination camp, Barakeh expressed great shock: "I knew exactly where I was going, but being here, faced with the embodiment of human evil on the one hand, and the unperceivable misery of the victims on the other hand, things take on a different meaning. Everything is mixed into a human catastrophe." Barakeh commented on the piles of children's shoes displayed at the museum and said, "Any such shoe was once worn by a baby. Children are a nationality of their own, a nationality of innocence, and I cannot grasp how human beings could do such an atrocious thing."[9]
He was re-elected for a fifth term in 2013, but prior to the 2015 elections, he announced that he was retiring from politics, and was given the symbolic 120th place on the Joint List,[10] an alliance of Hadash and the main Arab parties.
See also
References
- Ha'aretz.
- ^ Extremist threatens Arab politician, Ynetnews, 28 February 2005.
- ^ Gil Ronen (1 November 2009). "Criminal Charges Against Arab MK Barakeh". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ Dan Izenberg (1 November 2009). "Hadash MK indicted for assault while demonstrating against state". Israel National News. Retrieved 1 April 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ MK Mohammad Barakeh convicted for 2006 altercation Times of Israel, 23 March 2014
- ^ Israeli politician convicted of assaulting right-wing activist at 2006 protest Haaretz, 23 March 2014
- ^ Israeli-Arab MK fined for assaulting man during 2006 demonstration, Haaretz.com, 24 April 2014.
- ^ a b Arab Israeli's Auschwitz visit raises criticism, boston.com via Associated Press, 26 January 2010.
- ^ "Barakeh in Auschwitz: 'Things take on different meaning here'" Ynetnews, 27 January 2010
- ^ Joint List list, Central Elections Committee, bechirot20.gov.il; accessed 1 April 2016.
External links
- Mohammad Barakeh on the Knesset website
- Extremist threatens Arab politician Ynetnews, 28 February 2005
- Arab MKs express outrage over Shfar'am attack, 'anti-Arab incitement' Ynetnews, 4 August 2005