Issawi Frej

Frej was born in Kafr Qasim, Israel, to a Muslim-Arab family.[https://meretz.org.il/%d7%97%d7%99%d7%a8%d7%95%d7%aa-%d7%92%d7%9d-%d7%9c%d7%a0%d7%a9%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%94%d7%a2%d7%a8%d7%91%d7%99%d7%95%d7%aa/ חירות גם לנשים הערביות] Meretz [https://web.archive.org/web/20131014185010/https://meretz.org.il/%D7%97%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%92%D7%9D-%D7%9C%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%99%D7%95%D7%AA/ Archived] 14 October 2013 {{Dead link|date=March 2021}} His grandfather was killed in the Kafr Qasim massacre,[http://www.timesofisrael.com/rivlin-to-address-ceremony-marking-kfar-kassem-massacre/ Rivlin condemns ‘terrible crime’ of Kfar Kassem massacre] The Times of Israel 26 October 2014. Frej is the eldest of twelve children. In 1982, he began studying accounting and economics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and later worked as an accountant.[http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=301481 Meet the new MK: Esawi Freige] The Jerusalem Post, 30 January 2013 Whilst at university, he joined the joint Jewish-Arab "Campus" group, and subsequently joined the Ratz party, which later merged into Meretz. He served on the secretariat of Peace Now, and was involved in the Geneva Accord.

Frej is married, with seven children. They reside in Kafr Qasim.

In February 2022, Frej was hospitalized in Tel Aviv after suffering a stroke.{{cite web|url=https://hamodia.com/2022/02/08/minister-frej-suffers-stroke-admitted-to-icu/|title=Minister Frej Suffers Stroke, Admitted to ICU|publisher=Hamodia|accessdate=11 February 2022|archive-date=11 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211080952/https://hamodia.com/2022/02/08/minister-frej-suffers-stroke-admitted-to-icu/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|title=Minister Esawi Frej in ICU after stroke|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/minister-esawi-frej-in-icu-after-stroke/|access-date=2022-02-19|website=The Times of Israel|language=en-US}}

Frej first ran for the Knesset in 2003, and was placed sixteenth on the Meretz list for the elections that year.[https://web.archive.org/web/20070712143349/http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Modern%20History/Historic%20Events/Candidates%20for%20the%2016th%20Knesset Candidates for the 16th Knesset] Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs However, the party won only six seats. For the 2006 elections, he was placed seventh,[https://www.knesset.gov.il/elections17/eng/list/list_eng.asp?id=34 List of Candidates: Meretz] Knesset website but Meretz won only five seats. In the 2009 elections, he was placed ninth,[https://www.knesset.gov.il/elections18/heb/list/List.aspx?ListId=84 Meretz] Knesset website {{in lang|he}} but again failed to win a seat, as Meretz was reduced to three MKs. However, after being placed fifth on the party's list for the 2013 elections,[http://www.bechirot.gov.il/elections19/heb/list/List.aspx?ListId=117 Meretz] Central Elections Committee {{in lang|he}} he entered the Knesset, after the party won six seats. Frej was re-elected in the 2015 elections, after being placed third on the Meretz list.[http://www.bechirot20.gov.il/election/Candidates/Pages/OneListCandidates.aspx?LPF=Search&WebId=6adadc15-e476-480b-9746-04490aedeb0f&ListID=ba72a662-765c-45af-9d48-fb68080956af&ItemID=53&FieldID=ListNickname_GxS_Text Meretz list] Central Elections Committee He was fourth on the party's list for the April 2019 elections, and was re-elected as the party won four seats.

In June 2021, he joined the coalition government as the Minister of Regional Cooperation.{{Cite web|title=Israel's 36th gov't: Here is the list of new cabinet ministers|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/israels-36th-govt-here-is-the-expected-list-of-new-cabinet-ministers-670894|access-date=2021-06-15|website=The Jerusalem Post|language=en-US}} In July 2021, he resigned the Knesset under the Norwegian law.{{Cite web|date=2021-07-10|title=MK Issawi Frej to resign from Meretz under Norwegian law|url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/mk-issawi-frej-to-resign-from-meretz-list-at-the-knesset-673445|access-date=2021-07-21|website=The Jerusalem Post|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|title=13 New Israeli Lawmakers Sworn In, Including First Deaf MK|language=en|work=Haaretz|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-13-new-israeli-lawmakers-sworn-in-including-first-deaf-mk-1.9910865|access-date=2022-02-19}} He was succeeded by Ali Salalha.

In October 2021, Frej met publicly with Nasredeen Abdulbari, then the Justice Minister of Sudan, one of the first public meetings between Israeli and Sudanese officials.{{Cite web|last=Odenheimer|first=Alisa|date=October 13, 2021|title=Israeli Minister Tweets Rare Photo With Sudanese Official|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-13/israeli-minister-tweets-rare-photo-with-sudanese-official|access-date=2022-02-19|website=Bloomberg}}{{Cite web|title=Sudan: Burhan dismisses sanctions threats, lauds ties with Israel|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/13/sudans-burhan-lauds-ties-with-former-foe-israel|access-date=2022-02-19|website=Al Jazeera|language=en}}

In November 2021, Frej met with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh to discuss the financial and security relationship between Israel and the West Bank; after this meeting, Frej predicted that the Palestinian Authority would agree to stop paying monthly stipends to those who have been convicted of terrorism and to the families of terrorists who have killed Israelis.{{Cite web|title=Palestinian Authority likely to abolish pay-for-slay, Frej says|url=https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/palestinian-authority-likely-to-abolish-pay-for-slay-frej-says-685229|access-date=2022-02-19|website=The Jerusalem Post|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Boxerman|first=Aaron|title=Minister Frej to sit down with PA prime minister in Norway|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/minister-frej-to-sit-down-with-pa-prime-minister-in-norway/|access-date=2022-02-19|website=The Times of Israel|language=en-US}}

After his retirement, he was placed honorary 117th place on the Meretz list on 2022 Israeli legislative election.

Frej is a supporter of the two-state solution.{{Cite web|last=Kornbluh|first=Jacob|author-link=Jacob Kornbluh|title=Why an Arab in the Israeli government says he's OK with a delay in the peace process|url=https://forward.com/news/476522/israeli-arab-minister-frej-peace-process/|access-date=2022-02-19|website=The Forward|language=en-US}} Frej is a supporter of the Abraham Accords, stating that he believes the accords offer Israel chances for economic growth; he suggested that further countries would also sign treaties normalizing relations with Israel.{{Cite news|last=Rachman|first=Gideon|date=2021-10-25|title=Israel breaks out of its global isolation|work=Financial Times|url=https://www.ft.com/content/a67207a6-e2ec-41f3-a29d-f28d202468aa|access-date=2022-02-19}}{{Cite web|last=staff|first=T. O. I.|title=Minister predicts more normalization deals with Arab states next year|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/minister-predicts-more-normalization-deals-with-arab-states-next-year/|access-date=2022-02-19|website=The Times of Israel|language=en-US}}

On 1 February 2022, Frej rejected Amnesty International's charge that Israel is an apartheid state, saying: "Israel has many problems that must be solved, inside the Green Line and certainly in the occupied territories, but Israel is not an apartheid state."{{Cite web|title=Arab MK: Israel has many problems, but it is not an apartheid state|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/arab-mk-israel-has-many-problems-but-it-is-not-an-apartheid-state/|access-date=2022-02-19|website=The Times of Israel|language=en-US}}

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Category:1963 births

Category:Living people

Category:Arab members of the Knesset

Category:Deputy speakers of the Knesset

Category:Government ministers of Israel

Category:Hebrew University of Jerusalem alumni

Category:Israeli accountants

Category:Israeli anti-war activists

Category:Israeli Muslims

Category:Members of the 19th Knesset (2013–2015)

Category:Members of the 20th Knesset (2015–2019)

Category:Members of the 21st Knesset (2019)

Category:Members of the 24th Knesset (2021–2022)

Category:Meretz politicians

Category:People from Kafr Qasim