Knesset to get new Ethiopian MK as Peled resigns
09/13/2012 22:30
Aleli Admasu to replace Minister-without-Portfolio Yossi Peled, doubling number of Ethiopian-born MKs from one to two.
Yossi Peled hands resignation to Reuven Rivlin Photo: Courtesy Knesset spokesman
The number of Ethiopian-born members of Knesset will double to two on Sunday
when Aleli Admasu becomes an MK in place of Minister-without-Portfolio Yossi
Peled, who submitted his resignation to Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin on
Thursday.
Admasu, who served as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s
adviser on the Ethiopian community, was the next name on the Likud candidates
list. He will join Kadima’s Shlomo Molla, another Ethiopian immigrant, in the
Knesset.
A record third Ethiopian MK is expected to enter the Knesset
ahead of the next general election, because Shas MK Haim Amsalem must legally
quit in order to run for the next Knesset with another party, as he intends to
do.
The next name on the Shas list is Ethiopian-born Rabbi Mazor Bahyna,
who served in the Knesset from April 2008 to February 2009.
Admasu said
he was glad that the Ethiopian sector would have what he considered proper
representation. He vowed to work to better integrate Ethiopian immigrants in
Israeli society.
“In Israel, we are a democracy with many views and many
colors,” he said.
Admasu said it “feels good to be entering the Knesset,”
noting that he “waited a very long time for this moment.” He had been next on
the Likud list for more than three years but no Likud MK had left, in contrast
with Kadima from which seven MKs have already left.
Rivlin wished Peled
well in his new job as chairman of the Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline. He thanked him
for his years of public service in the government and the army.
Peled
will resign from the cabinet at its next meeting in 10 days. He was in charge of
helping Holocaust survivors and former members of the South Lebanon Army and he
served on 10 ministerial committees.