Mohammad Barakeh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mohammad Barakeh
|
|
|---|---|
|
מוחמד ברכה
|
|
 |
|
| Faction represented in the Knesset | |
| In office 1999–2015 |
|
| Hadash | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 July 1955 Shefa-'Amr, Israel |
| Political party | Hadash |
| Alma mater | Tel Aviv University |
| Occupation | Politician |
Mohammad Barakeh (Arabic: محمد بركة, Hebrew: מוחמד ברכה; born 29 July 1955) is an Israeli Arab politician. He was a leader of Hadash, a political party in Israel. He served as a member of the Knesset, which is like Israel's parliament, from 1999 to 2015. Today, he leads the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel, which works to support Arab citizens in Israel.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mohammad Barakeh was born in a town called Shefa-'Amr. He went to Tel Aviv University to study mathematics. During his time at university, he made many friends and connections with both Jewish and Arab students. These friendships helped him in his political journey later on. His apartment in Tel Aviv was a popular spot for political meetings. Important discussions about future political actions often happened there.
Political Career
After finishing his studies, Mohammad Barakeh went back to his hometown of Shefa-'Amr. This town is important for the politics of Arab citizens in Israel. He became active in the local branch of the Maki party.
He was first elected to the Knesset in 1999. The Knesset is where laws are made in Israel. He was re-elected in 2003, and after that, he became the Deputy Speaker of the Knesset. This means he helped lead the meetings in the parliament.
Mohammad Barakeh was elected again in 2006 and 2009. He was elected for his fifth term in 2013. Before the 2015 elections, he decided to retire from politics. He was given a special symbolic spot on the Joint List, which is a group of Arab parties working together.
Disagreement with Baruch Marzel
In 2005, Mohammad Barakeh had a disagreement with another political figure, Baruch Marzel. This was about a bill that would help people move from certain areas. Barakeh supported this bill, which helped clear the way for Israel to move out of the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank. Marzel was against this plan.
Visiting Concentration Camps
In 2010, Mohammad Barakeh joined a group of Israelis visiting World War II-era concentration camps. These were places where terrible things happened during the war. Some people did not want him to go, but he went anyway.
After visiting, Barakeh said he was very shocked. He described it as seeing "human evil" and the "misery of the victims." He was especially moved by the piles of children's shoes displayed at the museum. He said, "Children are a nationality of their own, a nationality of innocence." He found it hard to understand how such awful things could happen to innocent people.
See also
- List of Arab members of the Knesset
