Basel Ghattas
| Basel Ghattas | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Date of birth | 23 March 1956 |
| Place of birth | Nazareth, Israel |
| Knessets | 19, 20 |
| Faction represented in Knesset | |
| 2013–2015 | Balad |
| 2015–2017 | Joint List |
Dr Basel Ghattas (Arabic: باسل غطاس, Hebrew: באסל גטאס; born 23 March 1956) is an Israeli Arab politician. A member of Balad, he served as a member of the Knesset for Balad and the Joint List from 2015 until 2017. In December 2016, he was stripped of his diplomatic immunity and arrested after he was caught on video providing convicted Palestinian terrorists with cell phones and SIM cards.
A Christian Arab, Ghattas originates from Rameh. During high school he established the National Committee of Arab High School students with his cousin, Azmi Bishara. During his time at university he also established Arab student groups.
After finishing university he opened an engineering firm in Rameh. At the age of 22 he was elected Deputy Leader of the town council as a member of Rakah, which later became Maki. He was ejected from the party in 1990 after challenging its pro-Soviet stance. He then helped found Brit Shivyon, a short-lived Jewish-Arab movement, before becoming a founder member of Balad in 1995.
He later attended the Technion, where he gained a PhD in environmental engineering, and joined the Galilee Society, an NGO involved in health and environmental issues with the Arab community. In 2007 he established Malakom, the only business magazine targeted at the Israeli Arab community.
Having initially chosen not to run for the Knesset after Balad was founded, in 2012 Ghattas was placed third on the party's list for the 2013 Knesset elections, and was elected to the Knesset as the party won three seats. Prior to the 2015 elections Balad joined the Joint List alliance; Ghattas was placed eleventh on the alliance's list, and was re-elected as it won 13 seats.
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