Azmi Bishara

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Azmi Bishara
Image:Replace this image male.svg
Date of birth 22 July 1956 (1956-07-22) (age 51)
Knesset(s) 14th, 15th, 16th,
17th (resigned)
Party Balad

Azmi Bishara (Arabic: عزمي بشارة‎, Hebrew: עזמי בשארה‎, born July 22, 1956),[1] is a Palestinian Christian with an Israeli citizenship and a member of the Israeli Knesset representing the Balad party from 1996 until resigning in April 2007. He also leads that political party.[2][1]

His resignation took place amidst news of a series of "serious" but "unspecified" criminal charges being laid against him by Israeli security services,[3] which were later revealed to be treason and espionage.[4] By resigning, Bishara lost his parliamentary immunity and has chosen to remain abroad, though he has indicated that he intends to return.[5]

Contents

[edit] Early life

Bishara was born in Nazareth,[1] He went to school in Nazareth Baptist school,[citation needed] and established the first National Committee of Arab High School Students and in 1974 was its chairman and in 1976,[6] he was instrumental setting up the Committee for the Defense of Arab Lands, as well as the first National Arab Student Union.[2]

In the 1970s, Bishara attended the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, was the head of the Arab Student Union, and was also active in the Jewish-Arab student group Campus. At the time Bishara was a member of the Israeli Communist Party Rakah (now part of Hadash), and supported an Internationalist-Marxist political agenda.

Upon completing his Ph.D in philosophy at Humboldt University of Berlin in 1986, he joined the faculty of Bir Zeit University,[7] and went on to head the Philosophy and Cultural Studies Department for two years, from 1994 to 1996. He has also worked as a senior researcher at the Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem.[8]

[edit] Political career

Bishara has been a Knesset member ever since the fourteenth Knesset (first seating June 17 1996) and "was a key founder of the political party that he represents in the Knesset,[1] the National Democratic Assembly (NDA-Balad)."[8] (The NDA is at times misnamed the "National Democratic Alliance".)[6]

Bishara was the first Arab citizen of Israel to run for Prime Minister in the 1999 election,[9] but dropped out of the race two days before election day. In the end, only Ehud Barak and Benyamin Netanyahu were left as final candidates,[2] with Barak emerging victorious.[10]

In 2003, the Israeli Supreme Court "overturned Central Elections Committee decisions to disqualify MKs Ahmad Tibi and Azmi Bishara, and Bishara's party, Balad, from running in the elections to the 16th Knesset." The CEC's decision was supported by Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein, "who went so far as to submit his own petition to the CEC against the party and its leader." "The CEC ruled that Bishara and Balad sought to destroy the Jewish character of the state and supported the armed struggle against it."[11]

[edit] Visits to Syria

Bishara visited Syria in 2001, and gave a speech at a memorial ceremony for Syrian President Hafez al-Assad where he expressed support for Hezbollah. Upon his return to Israel, he was indicted and charged with incitement to violence and support for a terrorist organization, as defined by Israel's Prevention of Terror Ordinance.[12] Bishara again visited Syria in September 2006, where he warned of the possibility that "Israel launch a preliminary offensive in more than one place, in a bid to overcome the internal crisis in the country and in an attempt to restore its deterrence capability."[13] He and members of his party also visited Lebanon, where they told the Lebanese prime minister that Hizbullah's resistance to Israel has "lifted the spirit of the Arab people".[14] Soon thereafter at Interior Minister Roni "Bar-On's request, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz ordered a criminal investigation be opened against Balad MKs Azmi Bashara, Jamal Zahalka and Wassel Taha over their recent visit to Syria", as "[a]fter Bashara's last trip in 2001, the Knesset passed a law forbidding MKs from visiting any enemy state."[15]

[edit] Resignation from Knesset and Suspicion of High Treason

On April 22, 2007, Bishara resigned from the Knesset via the Israeli Embassy in Cairo, following a police investigation into his foreign contacts, and accusations of aiding the enemy during wartime, passing information on to the enemy and contacts with a foreign agent, as well as laundering money received from foreign sources.[16] He was said to be "considering staying abroad because he feared a long term jail sentence and an end to his political career."[17] He also stated that he believed he wouldn't receive a fair trial.[16]

Following a petition by Haaretz and other media outlets to lift a gag order preventing publicization or publication of information relating to the specific charges being laid against Azmi Bishara, on May 2 2007 the Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court announced the gag order would be fully lifted. One week prior, the court had only allowed for the fact that Bishara is suspected of assisting the enemy in wartime, transmitting information to the enemy, contact with a foreign agent and money-laundering to be publicized.[18]

Bishara is accused of giving Hizbullah information on strategic locations in Israel that should be attacked with rockets during the 2006 Lebanon War, in exchange for huge amounts of money. Wiretaps were authorized by the Israeli High Court of Justice. Investigators say that Bishara recommended long-range rocket attacks which would serve Hizbullah cause.[19]

According to court documents "Bishara was questioned twice in the case and during the last encounter he told interrogators that he intends to leave Israel for a couple of days. He said he would attend a third questioning session soon upon his return to Israel".[20][21] Bishara addressed a rally of supporters in Nazareth via telephone in April 2007. He told the thousands of supporters that, "My guilt is that I love my homeland... our intellect and our words are our weapons. Never in my life did I draw a gun or kill anyone."[22] Said Nafa, Bishara's replacement in the Knesset, commented on the charges leading up to Bishara's resignation, saying "There were many instances in which the Shin Bet tried to set people up ... They're just trying to behead a prominent Arab leader. They will fail."[23]

[edit] Miscellaneous

[edit] Writings

  • He is the author of books that include: Min yahudiyat al-dawla hata Sharon ("From the Jewishness of the State to Sharon") (2005), [24], The Ruptured Political Discourse and Other Studies (Arabic, 1998) and The Palestinian Intifada and Its Reflections in the Israeli Public Opinion[citation needed]
  • He also published two novels of a planned trilogy: The Checkpoint (2004) (available in French translation,[25] and a Hebrew translation is forthcoming) and Love in the Shadow Zone (2005).[26]
  • Bishara has contributed articles to many books that deal with nationalism, Islam, and democracy, the Palestinian issue, and minority rights.[27]
  • He also edited a series of 15 brochures and schoolbooks for teaching democracy and democratic principles in Arabic.[27]

[edit] Arabic

  • On the Democratic Option: Four Critical Studies. Re-published by the Center for Arab Unity Studies, Lebanon, 1993 (with Burhan Ghalioun, George Giacaman, and Said Zeedani)
  • Ziad Abu-Amr, with a Critical Commentary by Ali Jarbawi and Azmi Bishara: Civil Society and Democratic Change in Palestinian Society. 1995
  • A Critical Perspective on Palestinian Democracy. 1995 (with Musa Budeiri, Jamil Hilal, George Giacaman, and Azmi Bishara)
  • A Contribution to the Critique of Civil Society. 1996
  • The Ruptured Political Discourse and other Studies. 1998
  • The Site of Meaning: Essays from the First Year of the Intifada. 2002
  • In the Wake of the Israeli Invasion: Issues of Palestinian National Strategy. 2002.
  • Theses on a Deferred Awakening. 2003
  • From the Jewishness of the State to Sharon 2005 ISBN 9950-312-16-7
  • The Elements of Democracy Series Series Editor: Dr. Azmi Bishara (12 publications from '94 to '99)

[edit] English

  • The Arabs in Israel/Azmi Bishara, Moreton-in-Marsh : Arris, 2003
  • The Palestinians of Israel/an interview with Azmi Bishara in The new Intifada:resisting Israel’s apartheid, edited by Roane Carey;introduction by Noam Chomsky, London; New York:Verso, 2001, ISBN 1950943778
  • The Palestinian elections:an assessment/‎Azmi Bishara et al.,‪ Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace, Hebrew University of Jerusalem,‎‪ 1997[28]

[edit] Articles in English (partial list)

[edit] German

  • Die Jerusalem Frage :‎ Israelis und Palaestinenser im Gespraech‎. Teddy Kollek, Hanan Ashrawi, Amos Oz, Faisal Husseini, Ehud Olmert, Albert Aghazarian, Shulamit Aloni, Nazmi al-Jubeh, Meron Benvenisti, Ikrima Sabri, Michel Sabbah/Uri Avnery, Azmi Bishara (Hg.) (Translated from the Arabic, English or Hebrew by various translators), Heidelberg :‎ ‪ Palmyra,‎ ‪ c1996 [29]
  • --alles ändert sich die ganze Zeit:soziale Bewegung(en) im "Nahen Osten"/Jörg Später (Hrsg.), mit Beiträgen von Azmi Bishara et al., Freiburg (Breisgau) : Informationszentrum Dritte Welt, 1994[28]

[edit] Awards

Bishara was awarded the “Ibn Rushd 'Averroes' Prize for Freedom of Thought” for the year 2002 in Berlin,[30] and the Global Exchange Human Rights Award for the year 2003 in San Francisco.[31]

[edit] References and notes

  1. ^ a b c d - English: Azmi Bishara listen (help·info)
    - Arabic: عزمي بشارة listen (help·info)
    - Hebrew: עזמי בשארה listen (help·info)
    Information from Azmi Bishara Knesset Profile in English, Hebrew and Arabic
  2. ^ a b c d Jerusalem Post piece about Azmi Bishara for the 1999 elections Accessed March 11 2007
  3. ^ Ex-MK Bishara suspected of treason, passing data to Hezbollah Haaretz, Accessed 2 May 2007
  4. ^ Bishara suspected of aiding Hizbullah for money Ynetnews, Accessed 3 May 2007
  5. ^ Police probe Arab Knesset member Al Jazeera, Accessed 30 April 2007
  6. ^ a b Azmi Bishara - National Democratic Alliance Haaretz, Accessed March 11 2007.
  7. ^ "1980-1986: جامعة هومبولون برلين. تخرج منها بشهادة دكتوراة في الفلسفة بإمتياز."
    "1986-1996: محاضر الفلسفة والدراسات الثقافية، جامعة بير زيت."
    Translation:
    "1980-1986: Humboldt University, Berlin. He graduated cum-laude with a Ph.D. in Philosophy."
    "1986-1996: Lecturer in Philosophy and Cultural Studies, Bir-Zeyt University."
    Archived bio of Azmi Bishara (in Arabic) from the official NDA website Accessed February 24 2007
  8. ^ a b Bishara's English bio at Adalah
  9. ^ Profile: Israel's Arab voice. BBC News, January 9 2003
  10. ^ Healing a national wound BBC News, May 21 1999, accessed April 18 2007
  11. ^ High Court overturns disqualifications of Tibi, Bishara Jerusalem Post, Accessed February 24 2007
  12. ^ Israel's Knesset Votes to Revoke Immunity From Popular Palestinian Member of Parliament Azmi bishara
  13. ^ MK Bishara warns Syria of Israeli attack Ynetnews, September 9 2006
  14. ^ Balad MKs praise Hizbullah resistance Jerusalem Post, September 15 2006
  15. ^ Bar-On wants passports of Arab MKs who visited Syria revoked Haaretz, September 11 2006
  16. ^ a b Balad Chairman Bishara: I cannot receive a fair trial in Israel Haaretz, Accessed 28 April 2007
  17. ^ Report: MK Bishara leaves Egypt Jerusalem Post. Accessed 25 April 2007
  18. ^ Gag Order on investigation of ex-MK Bishara to be lifted wednesday. Haaretz May 2 2007
  19. ^ Bishara recommended that Hizbullah attack south of Haifa Ynetnews, Accessed 3 May 2007
  20. ^ Bishara suspected of aiding enemy during Lebanon war Ynetnews, Accessed 25 April 2007
  21. ^ Bishara suspected of aiding enemies during Second Lebanon War Haaretz, Accessed 25 April 2007
  22. ^ Thousands protest in Nazareth in support of former MK Bishara Haaretz, Accessed 28 April 2007
  23. ^ Balad's MK-to-be: 'Anti-Israelization' conscientious objector Haaretz, Accessed 3 May 2007
  24. ^ At a glance Al-Ahram Weekly, Accessed 30 April 2007
  25. ^ La Palestine fragmentée Le Monde Diplomatique, Accessed 30 April 2007
  26. ^ Culture 101: A roundup of the month's news in the arts and culture Egypt Today, Accessed 30 April 2007
  27. ^ a b Publications Palestine Institute for the Study of Democracy, Accessed 30 April 2007
  28. ^ a b "Azmi Bishara" in the Library of Congress Online Catalog
  29. ^ "Azmi Bishara" in the catalog of the Jewish National and University Library
  30. ^ List of laureates of the Ibn Rushd prize for freedom of thought The Ibn-Rushd foundation
  31. ^ Global Exchange 3rd Annual Human Rights Awards Ceremony Global Exchange, May 22 2003

[edit] External links