Keeping us informed about the Middle East
Does anyone else notice something, umm, missing from this AP article about Israel’s first Muslim Cabinet minister? Did the reporter and editor just have too much to drink that day, or something?
(PS: on the general topic of Israeli Muslims in public service, see the Head Heeb on Ali Yahya, the first Arab to win the Israel prize and the former Israeli ambassador to Finland.)
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What’s missing?
This guy was appointed minister of what?!
(Yeah, if I had to guess, I’d say he’s Minister of Arab Affairs. But I shouldn’t have to guess. A lot of American readers probably have no idea that Israel has a Ministry of Arab Affairs. And if he was appointed to a less or more prestigious ministry, that would be even more newsworthy.)
Arguably nothing is missing. He was appointed Minister Without Portfolio, a title which most American journalists don’t know how to parse.
So the missing sentence is “Majadele was appointed as Minister Without Portfolio, which means he will have the privilege of attending and voting in Cabinet meetings but no actual executive power.”
Yeah, I can see why some other Arab MKs are unimpressed.
IIRC, The Hebrew term for “Minister w/o portfolio is שר בלי תיק. I can only imagine what children who hear news reports think: “Why doesn’t he have a briefcase? Can’t he go to the store and buy one”?
As the Jerusalem Report obesrved regarding one particularly bloated Government, the Ministers Without Portfolio come without portfolios, but with offices, staffs, chauffeurs, and all sorts of other official perks.