Ahmed Dabbah
{{short description|Israeli Arab politician|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Dabah.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|1|27|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| suboffice1 = Kadima
| office1 = Faction represented in the Knesset
| subterm1 = 2012–2013
| native_name = احْمَد ذَبّاح
| native_name_lang = ar
}}
Ahmed Dabbah ({{langx|ar|احْمَد ذَبّاح}}, {{langx|he|אחמד דבאח}}; born 27 January 1955) is an Israeli Arab politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Kadima between 2012 and 2013, the party's first non-Druze Arab MK. He also served as mayor of Deir al-Asad and the now-dissolved city of Shaghur.
Biography
Dabbah started his career as a primary school teacher, before becoming the owner and CEO of "Saleh Dabbah and Sons", a business conglomerate including supermarkets and a slaughterhouse, as well as establishing the Dabbah shopping mall in Deir al-Asad. He has nine children.
=Political career=
In 1992 he joined Likud, but transferred to Kadima after it was founded in 2005,[http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=281261 Former mayor to become Kadima's first Arab MK] The Jerusalem Post, 15 August 2012 becoming one of its leading activists. Although he was given a high placing by Ariel Sharon on the party's original list for the 2006 Knesset elections, he was ultimately placed only 51st on the final list,[https://www.knesset.gov.il/elections17/heb/list/list.asp?id=30 Kadima] 17th Knesset website {{in lang|he}} and failed to win a seat as the party won only 29. He was placed 36th on the party's list for the 2009 elections,[https://www.knesset.gov.il/elections18/heb/list/List.aspx?ListId=77 Kadima] 18th Knesset website {{in lang|he}} but again failed to win a seat as the party won only 28 seats.
Dabbah has been the mayor of Deir-el-Asad, as well as the head of the Shagur Local Council. As mayor of Deir-el-Asad, Dabbah helped Shaul Mofaz gain votes among the Arab-Israeli public,{{cite web| url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/dichter-to-quit-knesset-take-ministerial-role/|title=Kadima MK quits Knesset to join government as home front protection minister|work=The Times of Israel|date=14 August 2012|accessdate=15 August 2012| author=Ser, Sam}} who was running to replace Tzipi Livni as leader of Kadima. Dabbah helped bring 1,121 votes from his town of Deir-el-Asad for Shaul Mofaz, which totals more votes than both Mofaz's and Livni's combined votes from Tel Aviv, which numbered 1,112. Dabbah has said that he is a public figure that the public trusts, and objects to being called a "vote contractor."{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=281261|title=Former mayor to become Kadima's first Arab MK|work=The Jerusalem Post|date=15 August 2012|accessdate=15 August 2012|author=Harkov, Lahav}}
Dabbah was sworn into the Knesset on 16 August 2012 as a replacement for Avi Dichter,{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=281445|title=Ahmad Dabah is sworn in as newest member of Knesset| work=The Jerusalem Post|date=16 August 2012|accessdate=19 August 2012|author=Hoffman, Gil}}[https://www.knesset.gov.il/mk/eng/MKIndex_Current_eng.asp?view=5 Replacements Among Knesset Members] Knesset website who had resigned his seat on 14 August after leaving the party in order to join the Netanyahu government as an independent.[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4268229,00.html Dichter quits Kadima to join government] Ynetnews, 14 August 2012 This took the number of Arab members of the Knesset to 17, a record.
Placed ninth on the Kadima list for the 2013 elections,[http://www.bechirot.gov.il/elections19/heb/list/List.aspx?ListId=123 Kadima] Central Elections Committee he lost his seat as the party were reduced to two MKs.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{MKlink|id=855}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dabbah, Ahmed}}
Category:20th-century Israeli businesspeople
Category:20th-century Israeli educators
Category:21st-century Israeli businesspeople
Category:Arab citizens of Israel
Category:Arab members of the Knesset
Category:Mayors of places in Israel