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May
30
Rumored for months but still fascinating:
Houda Nonoo told the Associated Press on Friday that she was proud to be named “first of all as a Bahraini.”
This week’s formal appointment of the 43-year old mother of two follows leaked reports in Arabic language press a month ago.
Nonoo is a member of Bahrain’s all-appointed upper legislature and heads a human rights group in the Persian Gulf island kingdom.
Bahrain is considered to be at the forefront of a democratization push in the Arab world. Its tiny Jewish community of about 50 dates to Talmudic times; Nonoo is descended from Iraqi merchants who migrated in the late 19th century.
She is believed to be the Arab world’s first Jewish ambassador.
Ms Nonoo, 43, has served as a legislator in Bahrain’s 40-member Shura Council for three years and is head of the Bahrain Human Rights Watch.
…
Bahrain is a close US ally but has no diplomatic relations with Israel.
It has a Shia Muslim majority, roughly 65% of the population, but the ruling elite is Sunni.
FYI as a reminder (and do not listen to John McCain): just under two-thirds of Iraq’s Muslems are Shi’a and 90% of Iran’s Muslems are Shi’a. So, I don’t think I want to institute a monarchy in the USA, but just the other day I was saying how must I’m liking appointments lately and maybe we should be thinking about using them far and wide. This appointment continues to make me believe that, but let’s wait and hear from the new ambassador, on the job.
Hmm – just noticed – these articles indicate that she informed the AP of her appointment. This much lengthier article says the, er, umm “royal decree” came Wednesday.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:18 pm May 30th, 2008 in Foreign Affairs, Gender, Government, Israel, Jewish, Women
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2 Responses to “Bahrain names Houda Nonoo as first Jewish woman ambassador to US; country lacks relations w/Israel”
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I was stationed in Bahrain from 1993 -1994 and lived in Bahrain from 1995 – 1998 after retiring from the Navy. I did not know of a Jewish community in Bahrain. Is there any way fro me to contact the Nonoo family? I would realy like to email them or anyone in their congregation.
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