The committee for selecting Sharia jurists, headed by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, met today (Tuesday) and unanimously elected Attorney Hana Khatib to serve as a jurist in a Sharia court. The committee includes, among others, Minister of Religious Services David Azoulay and MK Yoav Ben-Zur.
Attorney Khatib from Tamra, who serves as both a lawyer and a Sharia litigator, is the first woman to serve as a qadi in Israel.
In addition, the committee appointed a Bedouin candidate from the diaspora to the position of qadi in the south of the country, Salem Sana from the settlement of Laqia, and the committee also appointed the committee's representative Iyad Zahlaqa, the director of the Sharia courts, as qadi in the Court of Appeals.
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Justice Minister Shaked said: "Today we elected four talented and excellent qadis, who I am sure will do their job to the best of their ability. We did justice where it is supposed to do justice, and we elected a woman for the first time to the position of qadis, something that in my opinion should have happened a long time ago.".
The minister added: "This is great news for Arab women and Arab society in general. I am excited about this selection and hope that this is just the first swallow for the selection of additional women for the position.".
Yesterday, the Rishon LeZion and President of the Great Rabbinical Court, Rabbi Yosef, hosted in his office the Director of the Sharia Courts, Qadi Dr. Iyad Zahalka.
The visit was attended by the Minister of Religious Services, MK David Azoulay – who introduced the qadi to the Rishon LeZion – and the Director of the Rabbinical Courts, Rabbi Shimon Yaakovi.
The Qadi Zahalka submitted to Rishon LeZion two books he wrote in Hebrew on Sharia law.
The Rishon LeZion received the Qadi very cordially and told him that at the gathering of the judges of the Grand Court that took place about a month ago, he favorably noted a position that Qadi Zahalka wrote on the subject of charging child support within the framework of the Shipman Committee.
The Qadi told Rishon LeZion about the insights he received from the words of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, ztk"l, and the fruitful cooperation over many years between him and the director of the rabbinical courts for the benefit of the religious courts.
The Rishon LeZion congratulated the Kadi, wished him success and expressed hope for continued cooperation, and also presented him with the book of articles "Conference of the Dayanim - 5776".
