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Barrier-Breaking Bahraini Masters Diplomatic Scene
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| Contributor | ArmyDem |
| Last Edited | ArmyDem Dec 19, 2008 07:47am |
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| Category | News |
| Media | Newspaper - Washington Post |
| News Date | Friday, December 19, 2008 01:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | Nonoo Is First Jewish Ambassador From an Arab Nation
By Nora Boustany
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, December 19, 2008; Page A20
It takes charm, courage and chutzpah to master the Washington diplomatic scene, and Houda Ezra Nonoo, Bahrain's first female ambassador here and the first Jewish ambassador of an Arab country, is well on her way.
The granddaughter of Iraqi Jews who migrated to the tiny archipelago in the Persian Gulf, Nonoo came into public view in 2004 as a founding member of the Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society. She helped bring attention to the plight of domestic workers and other foreign laborers and worked to promote the rights of women and children.
In 2006, Nonoo was appointed to the Shura Council, the upper chamber of parliament. She replaced her brother Ibrahim, the first Jewish member of the council, who decided to devote himself to his business concerns.
Then news leaked out that King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifae had informed U.S. officials of his intention to name Nonoo as ambassador here. Bahrain's news media shot down the move to name a "Jewish ambassador" as a public relations stunt by the Sunni dynasty, which rules over a disgruntled Shiite majority in this country of about 700,000 people. |
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