Former Labor MK Nadia Hilu died at 61 Friday, leaving behind a husband and four daughters.
Hilu was a deputy speaker of the 17th Knesset, the first female Christian to serve in the legislature and the second female Arab.A social worker by profession, Hilu fought against the phenomenon of "honor" killings and served as deputy chairwoman of Na'amat – Women at Work.
Hilu's funeral took place at the St. Anthony's Parish Church in Jaffa.
Zionist Union chairman Isaac Herzog called Hilu a "strong, brave, optimistic woman, active in many areas, who broke glass ceilings and barriers, for whom peace and coexistence in Israel were always her lifeblood."
"Nadia was known as a fighter for the non-Jewish sectors in the country. She bravely fought for the rights and status of women in the Arab sector and in Israel in general and was a leader who fought poverty and inequality with all her strength," Herzog added.
