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Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi

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Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi
Rinawie Zoabi in 2018
Faction represented in the Knesset
2021–2022Meretz
Personal details
Born (1972-09-28) 28 September 1972 (age 52)
Nazareth, Israel

Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi (Arabic: غيداء ريناوي-زعبي; Hebrew: גִּ'ידָא רִינָאוִּי־זוּעְבִּי, born 28 September 1972) is an Israeli Arab activist, politician and diplomat. She was a member of the Knesset representing Meretz from 2021 to 2022.

Biography

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Early life and education

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Zoabi was born in Nazareth, the eldest daughter of a nephrologist who was amongst the founders of the dialysis department at the EMMS Nazareth Hospital and a homemaker. She attended St Joseph's School and then studied for a bachelor's degree in Hebrew literature and psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.[1] She later earned a master's degree in literature at the University of Haifa.[1]

Career

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Zoabi founded Injaz, the Centre for Professional Arab Local Governance.[2] She became a member of the board of directors at Ruppin Academic Center and served on the Prime Minister's Round Table for Emergency Preparedness.[1] She was selected by TheMarker as one of the 100 most influential people in Israel in 2011, while Forbes listed her as one of the 50 most important women in the Israeli economy in 2018.[1] In 2015 she was the first Arab woman to win the Proper Government award.[1]

Political career

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Prior to the 2021 elections she was placed fourth on the Meretz list.[3] During the election campaign she was criticised after stating that, out of respect for the Arab sector of Israel, she would abstain from voting on any legislation banning conversion therapy,[4] later saying she would support legislation that supported LGBTQ rights.[5] She was elected to the Knesset as the Meretz party won six seats.

In February 2022 Zoabi was appointed consul-general to Shanghai, becoming the first Israeli-Arab woman to serve as a senior diplomat.[6] The appointment was delayed.[7] On 19 May she resigned from the coalition, lowering its number to a minority of 59,[7] but rejoined the coalition three days later.[8]

Zoabi was accused of playing a central part in the fall of the Bennett–Lapid government her party was part of, due to her voting repeatedly against the Meretz party line.[9] Among the coalition bills she voted against were those concerning the draft exemption law and the approval of West Bank regulations.[9] According to the Walla! news website, Zoabi was pressured in doing so by the Ultra-Orthodox Shas party, at the time in the opposition.[9]

Controversy

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In October 2023 under a new government in which Shas is a partner, but Meretz is not, there were media reports about Zoabi working as a consultant for an organisation which provides services to West Bank settlements under the umbrella of the Shas-controlled Interior Ministry.[9][10] In the context of Zoabi's voting pattern under the previous government, in whose downfall she played a key role, Meretz Secretary General Tomer Reznik wrote to the attorney general calling for a criminal investigation against Zoabi due to "concern that the position given to former MK Zoabi allegedly constitutes bribery as defined by law".[9]

Private life

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As of 2022, she resides in Nof HaGalil[11] (formerly named Upper Nazareth).

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e ג'ידא רינאוי-זועבי. Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
  2. ^ "Meretz unveils new Arab woman candidate". The Jerusalem Post. 4 January 2021.
  3. ^ "2021 Meretz list". Central Elections Committee.
  4. ^ "Israel Elections: Voters must take stock of LGBTQ-phobia in parties". The Jerusalem Post. 14 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Meretz Candidate Under Fire for Flip-flopping on LGBTQ Rights Ahead of Election". Haaretz. 8 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Meretz MK to become Israel's highest ranking female Arab diplomat". The Jerusalem Post. 22 February 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Meretz MK Rinawie Zoabi quits coalition, putting it in minority". The Times of Israel. 19 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Political crisis over, Rinawie Zoabi returns to government". The Jerusalem Post. 22 May 2022.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Former Meretz Arab Israeli MK Reportedly Works for West Bank NGO". Haaretz. 3 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Ex-Meretz MK who voted against her own coalition takes job with current gov't – reports". The Times of Israel. 3 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi: Particulars". Knesset.
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