United Arab List
Encyclopedia
The United Arab List commonly known in Israel
by its Hebrew acronym Ra'am , is a political party
representing and supported by Israeli Arabs
. It is not related to the original United Arab List
which existed in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
, and was joined in an electoral alliance by the Arab Democratic Party
(which held two seats in the outgoing parliament
) and the southern faction of the Islamic Movement
. The party initially went under the title of Mada-Ra'am, Mada being the acronym and common name for the Arab Democratic Party. In the elections, the party won four seats. During the Knesset term, the Arab Democratic Party became a faction within the United Arab List, and its name was dropped from the party title.
The next elections saw the party increase its share of the vote and pick up five seats. However, internal disagreements saw three MKs leave; Muhamad Kanan
and Tawfik Khatib
left and established the Arab National Party
, whilst Hashem Mahameed
formed the National Unity – National Progressive Alliance
party. In the 2003 elections the party's support dropped by more than a third, with the party only just crossing the electoral threshold
of 2%, and winning only two seats.
For the 2006 elections the party entered an alliance with Ahmad Tibi
's Ta'al
party. Running together, the alliance won four seats, three of which were taken by the United Arab List. The partys' alliance was maintained for the 2009 elections
, which initially saw the Israeli Central Elections Committee
ban the party from participating, but this was overturned by the Supreme Court of Israel
. In the elections, the alliance again won four seats.
in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip
, with East Jerusalem
as its capital; and equal rights for Arab citizens of Israel
.
Its constituency consists mostly of religious or nationalist Israeli Arabs, and enjoys particular popularity among the Bedouin
– in the 2009 elections, 80% of residents of Bedouin communities voted for the party. The Islamic Movement also operates in poor Arab towns and villages, as well as in Bedouin settlements, to mobilize voters. The southern faction of the Islamic Movement is now the dominant force in the party, whilst other factions include the Arab National Party.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
by its Hebrew acronym Ra'am , is a political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
representing and supported by Israeli Arabs
Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel refers to citizens of Israel who are not Jewish, and whose cultural and linguistic heritage or ethnic identity is Arab....
. It is not related to 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:...
which existed in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
History
The party was established prior to the 1996 electionsIsraeli legislative election, 1996
Elections for the fourteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 29 May 1996. Voter turnout was 79.3%.The 1996 elections included two new changes, both designed to increase the stability of the Knesset. First, the Prime Minister was to be elected on a separate ballot from the remaining members of the...
, and was joined in an electoral alliance by the Arab Democratic Party
Arab Democratic Party (Israel)
The Arab Democratic Party commonly known in Israel by its Hebrew acroynym Mada was a political party in Israel. Since the late 1990s it has been a faction within the United Arab List.-Background:...
(which held two seats in the outgoing parliament
Israeli legislative election, 1992
Elections for the thirteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 23 June 1992. The result was a victory for the left, led by Yitzhak Rabin's Labor Party, though their win was at least partially due to several small right-wing parties narrowly failing to cross the electoral threshold and thus effectively...
) and the southern faction of the Islamic Movement
Islamic Movement in Israel
The Islamic Movement in Israel is a movement that aims to advocate Islam among Israeli Arabs. It operates on three levels: religious , social and anti-Zionist...
. The party initially went under the title of Mada-Ra'am, Mada being the acronym and common name for the Arab Democratic Party. In the elections, the party won four seats. During the Knesset term, the Arab Democratic Party became a faction within the United Arab List, and its name was dropped from the party title.
The next elections saw the party increase its share of the vote and pick up five seats. However, internal disagreements saw three MKs leave; Muhamad Kanan
Muhamad Kanan
Muhamad Kanan is an Israeli Arab politician who served as a member of the Knesset for the United Arab List and the Arab National Party between 1999 and 2003.-Biography:...
and Tawfik Khatib
Tawfik Khatib
Tawfik Khatib is a former Israeli Arab politician who served as a member of the Knesset for the United Arab List and the Arab National Party between 1996 and 2003.-Biography:...
left and established the Arab National Party
Arab National Party
The Arab National Party , alternatively rendered as the National Arab Party, is a minor Israeli Arab political party in Israel led by Muhamad Kanan.-Background:...
, whilst Hashem Mahameed
Hashem Mahameed
Hashem Mahameed is a former Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Hadash, Balad, United Arab List and National Unity – National Progressive Alliance between 1990 and 2003.-Biography:...
formed the National Unity – National Progressive Alliance
Progressive National Alliance
The Progressive National Alliance , originally known as National Unity – National Progressive Alliance , was a small Israeli Arab political party in Israel in the early 21st century.-Background:...
party. In the 2003 elections the party's support dropped by more than a third, with the party only just crossing the electoral threshold
Election threshold
In party-list proportional representation systems, an election threshold is a clause that stipulates that a party must receive a minimum percentage of votes, either nationally or within a particular district, to obtain any seats in the parliament...
of 2%, and winning only two seats.
For the 2006 elections the party entered an alliance with Ahmad Tibi
Ahmad Tibi
Ahmad Tibi is an Arab-Israeli politician and leader of Ta'al , an Arab party in Israel. He currently serves as Deputy Speaker of the Knesset. He was elected on a joint ticket with the United Arab List to serve in Israel's parliament, the Knesset...
's Ta'al
Ta'al
Ta'al is an Israeli Arab political party in Israel led by Ahmad Tibi.-History:Ta'al was founded by Tibi in the mid 1990s. It ran in the 1996 elections under the name Arab Union, but won only 2,087 votes . For the 1999 elections it ran as part of the Balad list. Tibi won a seat, and broke away from...
party. Running together, the alliance won four seats, three of which were taken by the United Arab List. The partys' alliance was maintained for the 2009 elections
Israeli legislative election, 2009
Elections for the 18th Knesset were held in Israel on 10 February 2009. These elections became necessary due to the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as leader of the Kadima party, and the failure of his successor, Tzipi Livni, to form a coalition government...
, which initially saw the Israeli Central Elections Committee
Israeli Central Elections Committee
The Israeli Central Elections Committee is the body charged under the Knesset Elections Law of 1969 to carry out the elections for the upcoming Knesset. The committee is composed of Knesset members representating various parliamentary groups and is chaired by a Supreme Court Justice...
ban the party from participating, but this was overturned by the Supreme Court of Israel
Supreme Court of Israel
The Supreme Court is at the head of the court system and highest judicial instance in Israel. The Supreme Court sits in Jerusalem.The area of its jurisdiction is all of Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. A ruling of the Supreme Court is binding upon every court, other than the Supreme...
. In the elections, the alliance again won four seats.
Ideology and support
The party supports the creation of a Palestinian StateProposals for a Palestinian state
Proposals for a Palestinian state currently refers to the proposed establishment of an independent state for the Palestinian people in Palestine on land that was occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967 and before by Egypt and by Jordan since 1949...
in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
and Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
, with East Jerusalem
East Jerusalem
East Jerusalem or Eastern Jerusalem refer to the parts of Jerusalem captured and annexed by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and then captured and annexed by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War...
as its capital; and equal rights for Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel refers to citizens of Israel who are not Jewish, and whose cultural and linguistic heritage or ethnic identity is Arab....
.
Its constituency consists mostly of religious or nationalist Israeli Arabs, and enjoys particular popularity among the Bedouin
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:...
– in the 2009 elections, 80% of residents of Bedouin communities voted for the party. The Islamic Movement also operates in poor Arab towns and villages, as well as in Bedouin settlements, to mobilize voters. The southern faction of the Islamic Movement is now the dominant force in the party, whilst other factions include the Arab National Party.
Current Knesset members
- Ibrahim SarsurIbrahim SarsurSheikh Ibrahim Sarsur is an Israeli Arab politician and member of the Knesset for the United Arab List, of which he is the party leader.-Biography:...
(since 2006) - Taleb el-SanaTaleb el-SanaTaleb el-Sana is an Israeli politician and lawyer, and is currently the longest serving Arab Member of the Knesset.-Biography:Born in Tel Arad in the Negev, he is an Israeli Arab of Bedouin origin. el-Sana studied law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and is a lawyer by profession...
(since 1996) - Masud GhnaimMasud GhnaimMasud Ghnaim is an Israeli Arab politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset for the United Arab List.-Biography:Ghnaim studied the history of the Middle East at the University of Haifa, gaining a BA, before working in education...
(since 2009)
Former Knesset members
- Abdulmalik DehamsheAbdulmalik DehamsheAbdulmalik Dehamshe is a former Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for the United Arab List between 1996 and 2006. He was also leader of the party.-Biography:...
(1996-2006) - Muhamad KananMuhamad KananMuhamad Kanan is an Israeli Arab politician who served as a member of the Knesset for the United Arab List and the Arab National Party between 1999 and 2003.-Biography:...
(1999-2001) - Tawfik KhatibTawfik KhatibTawfik Khatib is a former Israeli Arab politician who served as a member of the Knesset for the United Arab List and the Arab National Party between 1996 and 2003.-Biography:...
(1996-2001) - Hashem MahameedHashem MahameedHashem Mahameed is a former Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Hadash, Balad, United Arab List and National Unity – National Progressive Alliance between 1990 and 2003.-Biography:...
(1999-2002)
External links
- Islamic Movement
- United Arab List Knesset website
- Mada-Ra'am Knesset website
- Ra'am-Ta'al Knesset website