Majalli Wahabi Explained

Birth Date:12 February 1954
Birth Place:Beit Jann, Israel
Suboffice1:Likud
Office1:Faction represented in the Knesset
Subterm1:2003–2005
Suboffice2:Kadima
Subterm2:2005–2012
Suboffice3:HaTnuah
Subterm3:2012–2013
Native Name:مجلي وهبي (Druze Arabic)
Native Name Lang:ar
Children:4, including Tomer Wahaba

Majalli Wahabi (ar|مجلي وهبي, he|מגלי והבה, also transcripted as Majalli Wahbee or Majli Wahaba; born 12 February 1954) is a Druze-Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Likud, Kadima and HaTnuah between 2003 and 2013.[1] He briefly assumed the position of Acting President due to the President of Israel Mr. Moshe Katsav's leave of absence as well as due to Interim and Acting President of Israel Mrs. Dalia Itzik's diplomatic trips abroad that took place during 2007; making him the first non-Jew and the first Druze to be Israel's acting head of state; although assuming it for a mere few short periods during that year.

Early and personal life

Wahabi is married and has 4 children; among them is his son Tomer Wahaba who served as the first Druze member of the Israeli Army Radio (GaLaTZ).[2]

Political career

His public activities include:

On 27 February 2007, while then president Moshe Katzav was on leave of absence due to an indictment for rape charges, and interim president Dalia Itzik was on a trip abroad, Wahabi, who had previously served as interim speaker of the Knesset, was named acting president of Israel for two weeks, becoming the first non-Jew and Druze to be Israel's acting head of state.[3]

Wahabi condemned a website that "incited against Israeli soldiers" as war criminals and published their personal information and called for the punishment of those responsible.[4]

Shortly before the 2013 elections Wahabi joined the new Hatnuah party, and was placed twelfth on its list.[5] He lost his seat as the party won only six seats.

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=293617 Livni returns to politics with The Tzipi Livni Party
  2. News: Wahaba . Tomer (bin Majli) . 27 November 2007 . he:ממש לא, אני נראה לך פולני? . https://www.haaretz.co.il/misc/2007-11-27/ty-article/0000017f-dc4d-d3ff-a7ff-fded58140000 . limited . live . https://archive.today/20241011075229/https://www.haaretz.co.il/misc/2007-11-27/ty-article/0000017f-dc4d-d3ff-a7ff-fded58140000 . 11 October 2024 . . he-il.
  3. News: MK Wahabi first Druze to act as Knesset speaker, president . 27 February 2007 . Haaretz . 13 March 2014.
  4. Web site: Website Targets Cast Lead Soldiers . Benari . Elad . 19 November 2010 . Israel National News . Arutz Sheva . 21 November 2010.
  5. Web site: Hatnuah . Central Elections Committee .