Mossi Raz
{{Short description|Israeli politician}}
{{pp-30-500|small=yes}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = MossiRaz103.JPG
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|12|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = Jerusalem, Israel
| death_date =
| death_place =
| suboffice1 = Meretz
| office1 = Faction represented in the Knesset
| subterm1 = 2000–2003
| suboffice2 = Meretz
| subterm2 = 2017–2019
| suboffice3 = Meretz
| subterm3 = 2021–2022
| native_name = מוּסִי רָז
| native_name_lang = he
}}
Moshe "Mossi" Raz ({{langx|he|מֹשֶׁה "מוּסִי" רָז}}; born 19 December 1965) is an Israeli politician. He was a member of the Knesset for Meretz in three spells between 2000 and 2022.
Early life
Born in Jerusalem to Kurdish-Jewish parents, during his IDF national service Raz volunteered to serve as a paratrooper in the Paratroopers Brigade. He served as a soldier and a squad leader. Later on he became an infantry officer, after completing Officer Candidate School, and served as a platoon leader in the elite Maglan unit, where he continues to serve as a reserve major.[http://www.inn.co.il/News/News.aspx/213575 מוסי רז: תרבות טיוח במשטרת ישראל] Israel National News, 2 January 2011 {{in lang|he}}
He earned a BA in accounting and economics from the Hebrew University.
Political career
An activist, Raz has served as secretary general of Peace Now and director of the non-profit organisation Ir Shalem. For the 1999 Knesset elections Raz was placed 11th on the Meretz list,[https://en.idi.org.il/media/6691/%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%A6-15.pdf Meretz list (1999)] Israel Democracy Institute but missed out on a seat when they won only 10 mandates. However, he entered the Knesset on 25 February 2000 when Haim Oron resigned his seat.
He won eighth place on the party's list for the 2003 elections,[https://en.idi.org.il/media/6690/%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%A6-16.pdf Meretz list (2003)] Israel Democracy Institute but lost his seat when the party was reduced to six seats. Raz was placed tenth on the list for the 2006 elections,[https://en.idi.org.il/media/6029/%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%A6-17.pdf Meretz list (2006)] Israel Democracy Institute but the party won only five seats. Prior to the 2009 elections he won fourth place on the Meretz list,[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3638496,00.html Meretz primaries: Ilan Gilon takes top spot] Ynetnews, 15 December 2008 but the party won only three seats.
In 2011 he was questioned by the police for managing a radio station which they said broadcast illegally.{{Cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/communications-ministry-shuts-down-broadcasts-by-pirate-israeli-palestinian-radio-station-1.396533|title=Communications Ministry Shuts Down Broadcasts by 'Pirate' Israeli-Palestinian Radio Station|last=Hasson|first=Nir|date=2011-11-20|newspaper=Haaretz|language=en|access-date=2016-06-25}}{{Cite web|url=http://972mag.com/police-shut-down-jewish-palestinian-radio-station/28072/|title=Police shut down Jewish-Palestinian radio station {{!}} +972 Magazine|website=972mag.com|access-date=2016-06-28}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/149904#.V3KaWiMrI4Y|title=Police Shut Down Illegal Arab-Leftist Radio|website=Arutz Sheva|access-date=2016-06-28}}
Raz was placed sixth on the Meretz list for the 2015 Knesset elections, narrowly missing out on a return to the legislature as Meretz won five seats.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4639457,00.html|title=The man who was almost an MK - six elections in a row|access-date=2016-06-25}} In 2015 Likud MK Miki Zohar claimed Raz justifies attacks on Israelis, urging Meretz members to "condemn MKs who go on terrorist flotillas and [former Meretz MK] Mossi Raz, who, on the day of the [fatal terror] attack [near Dolev], wrote that it was because of settlements."
{{Cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Likud-MK-stands-behind-statement-that-Left-justifies-terrorism-406761|title=Likud MK stands behind statement that Left justifies terrorism|website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com|access-date=2016-06-25}}{{Cite web|url=http://jpupdates.com/2015/06/23/likud-mk-accuses-left-of-justifying-terrorism/|title=Likud MK Accuses Left of Justifying Terrorism {{!}}|website=jpupdates.com|access-date=2016-06-28}} Labor Knesset Member Stav Shaffir dismissed Zohar's statement as "a blatant, ugly, nauseating lie" and asked the Attorney General to investigate Zohar for defamation.
Raz re-entered the Knesset on 22 October 2017 as a replacement for Meretz leader Zehava Gal-On after she gave up her seat.[https://www.knesset.gov.il/mk/eng/MKIndex_Current_eng.asp?view=5 Replacements Among Knesset Members] Knesset[https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.817958 Left-wing Leader Zehava Galon Announces Resignation From Knesset] Haaretz, 18 October 2017
Raz was active in opposing a short-lived Israeli government policy to forcibly deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. In February 2018, he visited Rwanda, together with Michal Rozin, to try to get that government to end its cooperation with the deportation plan.[https://www.timesofisrael.com/meretz-mks-head-to-africa-to-expose-states-migrant-deportation-plan/ Meretz MKs head to Africa to ‘expose’ state’s migrant deportation plan] The Times of Israel, 8 February 2018 He lost his seat in the April 2019 elections.
Raz was placed sixth on Meretz's list for the 2021 elections,{{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/israel-election-2021-all-the-official-party-lists-so-far-1.9508075|title=Israel Election 2021: All the Official Party Slates|work=Haaretz|date=3 February 2021|access-date=7 April 2021}} and regained his seat in the Knesset as Meretz won six seats.{{cite web|url=https://votes24.bechirot.gov.il/|title=תוצאות האמת של הבחירות לכנסת ה-24|website=Central Elections Committee|language=he|access-date=7 April 2021}} However, Meretz failed to cross the electoral threshold in the 2022 elections and Raz lost his seat.
Awards
In 2010 Raz and colleague Maysa Baransi-Siniora were awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Peace prize by the International Council for Press and Broadcasting at the International Media Awards in London for his work with All for Peace radio.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/may/11/international-media-awards |title=Guardian Middle East editor wins peace through media award |work=The Guardian |date=11 May 2010|first=Jason |last=Deans }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{MKlink|id=708}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raz, Mossi}}
Category:20th-century Israeli military personnel
Category:Hebrew University of Jerusalem alumni
Category:Israeli military officers
Category:Israeli people of Kurdish-Jewish descent
Category:Jewish Israeli politicians
Category:Jewish military personnel
Category:Jewish anti-war activists
Category:Members of the 15th Knesset (1999–2003)
Category:Members of the 20th Knesset (2015–2019)