Rostam Bastuni
| Rostam Bastuni | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Date of birth | 15 March 1923 |
| Place of birth | Tirat Carmel, Mandatory Palestine |
| Date of death | 26 April 1994 (aged 71) |
| Knessets | 2 |
| Faction represented in Knesset | |
| 1951–1952 | Mapam |
| 1952–1954 | Left Faction |
| 1954–1955 | Mapam |
Rostam Bastuni (Arabic: روستم بستوني, Hebrew: רוסתם בסתוני; 15 March 1923 – 26 April 1994) was an Israeli politician and journalist, and the first Israeli Arab to represent a Zionist party in the Knesset.
Bastuni was born into a Christian family in Mandatory Palestine from the mixed city of Haifa. He attended the Technion, graduating with a degree in architecture, going on to become a teacher.
Going into politics, Bastuni joined the Arab branch of Mapam in 1951. He rose through the party ranks, and although not elected, he served as the party's secretary in the first Knesset. He also edited the Arabic edition of Mapam's weekly magazine, Al-Fajar.
For the 1951 elections he was placed high enough on their list to win a place in the Knesset, thus becoming the first Israeli Arab to represent a Zionist party (three Arab MKs had served in the first Knesset, but none of them for Zionist parties - one had been a member of the communist Maki and the other two were members of an Arab party, the Democratic List of Nazareth).
During his first Knesset term, internal divisions over the Slánský trial led to Mapam splitting. On 20 February 1951, Bastuni left the party and set up the Left Faction with Adolf Berman and Moshe Sneh. However, whilst Berman and Sneh went on to join Maki, Bastuni returned to Mapam on 1 November 1954.
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