Haneen Zoabi

Haneen Zoabi (; ; born 23 May 1969) is a Palestinian-Israeli politician. The first Arab woman to be elected to the legislature on an Arab party's list,

Early life Haneen Zoabi was born in Nazareth to a Muslim family. Zoabi studied philosophy and psychology at the University of Haifa, earning a Bachelor of Arts, and received a Master of Arts in communications from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Zoabi called the sponsors of the request "fascists" and said that "for whoever does not want citizens to have free elections, I am one of many targets". After hearing the case, the Central Elections Committee (CEC) disqualified Zoabi in a 19–9 vote. However, the Supreme Court of Israel unanimously overturned the decision and allowed her to run, and she was subsequently re-elected. Following the election, Likud MK Danny Danon initiated a bill dubbed the "Zoabi Law" in February 2013, to amend the Basic Laws to make it harder for the Supreme Court to overturn a decision by the CEC, which failed to pass.

She faced another attempt prior to the 2015 election, when the CEC voted 27–6 to disqualify her from running in the election. However, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling in an 8–1 decision. She retired from national politics prior to the April 2019 election, although she was given a symbolic 113th slot on the joint list of Balad and the United Arab List.

2010 Gaza flotilla Zoabi participated in the 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla, She also stated that "it was clear from the size of the force that boarded the ship that the purpose was not only to stop this sail, but to cause the largest possible number of fatalities in order to stop such initiatives in the future." Zoabi received death threats after the speech, and two security guards were assigned for her protection. One man was arrested for offering on Facebook a reward of free groceries for killing Zoabi. Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin ignored the recommendation and declined to submit it to a vote of the full Knesset. He and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hoped that sparing Zoabi would protect Israel from further international condemnation over its blockade of Gaza and raid of the MV Mavi Marmara. Rivlin is known for his advocacy of Arab-Jewish coexistence, and was stunned by the attempts to remove Zoabi's parliamentary privileges, as well as the near-physical attack. He asked if they would do that to a Jewish MK. She was also stripped of the right to participate in Knesset discussions and to vote in parliamentary committees. Attorney General Weinstein closed the case against her in 2011 because of "significant evidentiary and legal difficulties."

She commented three years after the events that she expected "MKs would want to hear firsthand testimony" and be questioned, but was naive and encountered hate politics.

Knesset suspensions First (2014) Five days after three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped and murdered by Palestinians on 15 June 2014, Zoabi questioned whether it was "strange that people living under occupation would kidnap" Israelis. She said she did not agree, but understood how they felt compelled to kidnap Israelis.

Many Israeli figures criticized her words. Labor opposition leader Isaac Herzog said they were "harmful to peace and the coexistence of Jews and Arabs in Israel" and "the families...awaiting news [of] their missing loved ones." Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said that like the kidnappers, "Zoabi is a terrorist". Knesset Interior Committee chairwoman Miri Regev said Zoabi is " a traitor and should be deported to Gaza." Zoabi reported receiving hundreds of death threats in the first days after her comments. She was surprised, saying "the injustice inflicted on the other side is so much greater. There are thousands of abducted Palestinians in Israeli prisons."

She was suspended from the Knesset plenum for a duration of six months on 29 July. During that time she was not allowed to address the Knesset or its committees. She appealed the suspension to the Supreme Court of Israel, but was rejected.

Legal issues Israeli attorney general Yehuda Weinstein ordered an investigation of Zoabi on charges of incitement and public disgrace after her 2014 comments about the kidnappings of three Israeli teenagers, who were later murdered.

Zoabi pleaded guilty to charges of forgery and fraud on 4 October 2021. She was convicted along with twelve other defendants, including other Balad party members. The ring was investigated for documents improperly filed in the 2013 Knesset election and local elections.

Political views Zoabi views herself as a Palestinian. At the 18th Knesset swearing-in ceremony on 24 February 2009, she left the Knesset plenum before the singing of Israel's national anthem, Hatikva. She later said it did not represent her. She has said that Israel's actions show "that it's unrealistic to have a real sovereign state in the West Bank and Gaza with Jerusalem as the capital."

Hamas She said that "Hamas is not a terrorist organization" and believes that the West should engage with Hamas rather than boycott the militant group which rules the Gaza Strip. She said Palestinians should not be told who to choose for governance, and the international community cannot mediate neutrally if it labels Palestinian organizations as illegitimate. She also said that Iran was a positive influence on Palestinian affairs, and had played a more beneficial role in region than Jordan or Egypt because it stood more firmly "against occupation than a lot of the Arab countries". She and the Balad party reject any form of national service for Israel's Arab citizens.