Hamad Amar

Hamad Amar
حمد عمار
Amar in 2018
Ministerial roles
2021–2022Minister in the Finance Ministry
Faction represented in the Knesset
2009–2019Yisrael Beiteinu
2019–2021Yisrael Beiteinu
2022–Yisrael Beiteinu
Personal details
Born (1964-11-05) 5 November 1964 (age 60)
Shefa-Amr, Israel
Residence(s)Shefa-Amr, Israel
Education
Military service
Branch/serviceIsrael Defense Forces
Years of service1982–1986

Hamad Amar (Arabic: حمد عمار; Hebrew: חָמַד עַמַאר; born 5 November 1964)[1] is an Israeli Druze politician who currently serves as a member of Knesset for Yisrael Beiteinu since 2022, previously serving from 2009 to 2019, and again from 2019 to 2021. Amar also served as a Minister in the Finance Ministry from 2021 to 2022.

Biography

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Hamed Amar was born in Shefa-Amr. He served in the Israel Defense Forces from 1982 to 1986. He earned a BA in social sciences from Zefat Academic College, and an LLB from the Academic Center for Law and Science.[1] Amar lives in Shefa-Amr's al-Fuar neighbourhood, with his wife and three children.[2][1] He has a fifth degree black belt in karate, and chairs the Martial Arts Association in Israel.[3]

Amar runs a Druze youth movement that had 12,000 members as of 2013. The group emphasizes Druze culture and heritage and distributes thousands of food packets a month to families in need.[4]

Political career

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He worked as an assistant to Avigdor Lieberman, while the latter was Minister of National Infrastructure. He was elected to Shefa-Amr's local council in 1998.[1]

Prior to the 2009 elections, he was placed twelfth on the Yisrael Beiteinu list,[5] and entered the Knesset when the party won 15 seats. He stated that the party's slogan "No citizenship without loyalty" is natural for the Druze community.[6] He later explained his position: "When you contribute to society, and the society benefits, then you will reap the benefits as well."[3]

Amar was instrumental in plans for a subsidiary of General Electric to install wind turbines in northern Israel, citing the benefits from clean energy and new jobs.[7]

He opposed the Citizenship Law in 2018[8] with fellow Druze MKs Akram Hasson and Saleh Saad. He filed a petition against the legislation with the Supreme Court of Israel in July 2018.[9][10] He expressed support for proposed changes to the legislation in August 2018 that would grant special recognition to the Druze community.[11]

Amar was placed sixth on the Yisrael Beiteinu list for the April 2019 elections, and lost his seat as the party won only five seats. However, five months later he returned to the Knesset as Yisrael Beiteinu won eight seats in the September 2019 elections.[12] He was re-elected to the Knesset in the 2021 elections when Yisrael Beiteinu won seven seats.[13]

He was appointed Minister in the Finance Ministry in June 2021.[14][15] Following his appointment, he resigned from the Knesset under the Norwegian Law and was replaced by Limor Magen Telem.[14][15] In collaboration with other ministers, Amar led the Druze and Circassian Empowerment Program as Minister in the Finance Ministry. The coalition government passed a budget in November 2021 that included 3 billion NIS for the program, which will be used to invest in housing construction, local education, infrastructure, transportation and hi-tech employment opportunities for the Druze and Circassian communities.[16]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Members of the 25th Knesset". Knesset. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  2. ^ Meet Hamad Amar, Yisrael Beiteinu's Druze candidate Haaretz, 9 February 2009
  3. ^ a b Hasten, Josh (16 May 2013). "Setting the Example". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  4. ^ Lebens, Samuel (2013-05-23). "Learning from Israeli Druze Hamad Amar". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  5. ^ The party lists for Feb. 10 Jewish Telegraph Agency, 2 February 2009
  6. ^ Julian, Hana Levi. Polls Project More Druze Knesset Members Israel National News, 2 February 2009
  7. ^ MK Amar bringing clean energy to the North Archived 2011-07-25 at the Wayback Machine Yisrael Beiteinu, 19 September 2010.
  8. ^ Wootliff, Raoul (25 July 2018). "Bennett: Government must 'heal wound' caused to Druze by nation-state law". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  9. ^ Lis, Jonathan; Hovel, Revital (23 July 2018). "Druze Lawmakers File First Court Challenge to Israel's Nation-state Law". Haaretz. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  10. ^ staff, T. O. I. "Druze MKs petition High Court against Jewish state law". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  11. ^ "Nation-state Law Backlash: Druze Leaders Say Netanyahu's Offer May Set 'Historical Precedent'". Haaretz. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  12. ^ "Israel Election Results: Full List of Parties, Lawmakers That Made It Into Knesset". Haaretz. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  13. ^ "Israel Election Results: Who's Heading to the Knesset - Full List". Haaretz. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  14. ^ a b Shpigel, Noa (16 June 2021). "13 New Israeli Lawmakers Sworn In, Including First Deaf MK". Haaretz. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  15. ^ a b staff, T. O. I. "Knesset to receive 16 new MKs after ministers resign through 'Norwegian law'". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  16. ^ "Israel approves NIS 3 billion plan for Druze, Circassian communities". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
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