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Photo: Hagai Aharon
'Great stability.' Barakeh
Photo: Hagai Aharon
Photo: Gil Yohanan
MK Tibi
Photo: Gil Yohanan

Israel's Arab parties elect chairmen

Barakeh, Tibi and Zahalka to stay on as leaders of their respective parties. Balad secretary-general says government 'forced Bishara out of the country'

Israel's Arab parties have elected their chairmen over the weekend ahead of the February 10 general elections.

 

Knesset Member MK Mohammad Barakeh will stay on as head of the Hadash Party after receiving 90% of the votes, while MK Ahmad Tibi will continue as chairman of United Arab List-Ta'al.

 

A woman claimed the fourth spot on Balad's roster, meaning she will become a Knesset member should the party gain at least four mandates in the general elections.

 

The early elections in the Arab parties drew thousands of activists to the conventions of Balad and Hadash's councils in Nazareth, during which the parties elected their roster for the 18th Knesset.

 

Barakeh, who has headed Hadash for the past eight years, said he was not surprised by the results, which, according to him, express "great stability" and offer the prospect for a "great achievement" in the coming elections.

 

MK Hanna Swaid followed Barakeh on Hadash's list, while Dov Khenin claimed the third spot on the roster.

 

In the Balad internal elections MK Jamal Zahalka beat out his main rival Salah Ali and will stay on as party chairman. Five candidates were vying for the second spot on the party's list, but eventually MK Said Naffaa came out on top following a second round of voting.

 

Newly-elected Sakhnin Mayor Mazen Ghnaim said at the opening of Balad's convention on Friday that "those who are willing to bet on Balad's failure should come to this hall and see the thousands that have gathered."

 

Balad Secretary-General Awad Abdel Fattah took the opportunity to slam the Israeli government for "forcing (former Balad MK) Azmi Bishara to leave the country."

 

Bishara was accused of aiding Hizbullah during the Second Lebanon War.

 

"Our enemies and rivals hoped that this party would disappear, but with your support we will underscore the failure of the establishment's plan," Fattah said.

 


פרסום ראשון: 12.20.08, 21:53
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