- Ibrahim Sarsur
MKs
Date of birth =February 2 ,1959
Year of Aliyah =
Date of death =
Knesset(s) = 17th (current)
Party =United Arab List
Former parties =
Gov't roles =Sheikh Ibrahim Sarsur ( _ar. ابراهيم صرصور, _he. אברהים צרצור, bornFebruary 2 ,1959 ) is anIsraeli Arab politician and Knesset member, and is currently leader of theUnited Arab List .A native of
Kafr Qasim , Sarsur served on its council between 1989 and 1999. During the 1970s, he studied English literature and English linguistics atBar-Ilan University . In 1999, he became head of the southern faction of the Islamic Movement (considered more moderate than its northern counterpart). He is one of the heads of theSupreme Committee for the Surveillance of Israeli Arabs (Arabic: لجنة المتابعة العليا للجماهير العربية في إسرائيل), an organization founded in 1982 in order to coordinate the political activities of Israeli Arabs.He was active in the the United Arab List before its merger with
Ahmad Tibi 'sTa'al , and became leader of the united list. He was voted to the Knesset in the 2006 elections.In 2007 he caused controversy by speaking out against a meeting of Palestinian lesbians, releasing a statement saying that "all respectable people from all communities and streams to stand up against preaching sexual deviance among our women and girls." [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/835438.html Islamic Movement slams Arab gay meeting] Haaretz, 11 March 2007] He also claimed there were no homosexuals in the Muslim community. [ [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3271025,00.html Arab MK: No gays in Muslim society] Ynetnews, 7 April 2006]
In April 2008 he again stirred controversy when, following an Israeli air strike in the
Gaza Strip which killed a woman and her four children, he compared the actions of Israel to those of the Nazis: "Israel's killing of innocent people is reminiscent of some very dark times, including that of the Nazis." [ [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3537107,00.html Arab MK: Israel's acts reminiscent of Nazis] Ynetnews, 28 April 2008]ee also
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Arab members of the Knesset References
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