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Hoda Nono, the Arab world's first Jewish ambassador. Last update - 23:03 29/05/2008 Bahraini king taps Jewish woman lawmaker as envoy to U.S. By The Associated Press Tags: Hoda Nono, Bahrain  Bahrain's state news agency says that King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa issued a royal decree appointing a female Jewish lawmaker to the post of ambassador. The future posting of Hoda Nono, who was widely tipped earlier this year by Bahraini media as the tiny Gulf nation's next ambassador to Washington, was not officially announced. Nono has served as legislator in Bahrain's all-appointed 40-member Shura Council for three years. She is the first Jew in the Arab world to become ambassador. Advertisement Bahrain - a pro-Western island nation with Sunni rulers and a Shiite majority - is a close Washington ally and hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. "It is a great honor to have been appointed as the first female ambassador to the United States of America and I am looking forward to meeting this new challenge," Nonoo told The Associated Press by telephone. She said she was proud to serve her country first of all as a Bahraini, adding she was not chosen for the post because of her religion. Nono is the first Jewish woman in the Shura Council, which includes a Christian woman among its 11 female legislators. All its members are appointed by the king. The elected 40-member lower house has only one woman lawmaker. She replaced her cousin Ibrahim Nono, who held the seat in parliament for four years. A businesswoman who lives both in Bahrain and London, Nono also is the first Jewish woman to head a local rights organization, the Bahrain Human Rights Watch. There are only about seven Jewish families in Bahrain, with some 50 persons in all, and Nono's family is prominent. The country's population barely reaches half a million people. Jews migrated here in the 19th century, mostly from Iran and Iraq. Their numbers increased early in the 20th century but decreased after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, when many left for Israel, the U.S. and Europe. Today's Jews keep a low profile in Bahrain, working mostly in banks, commercial and trade companies and retail. They live in upscale parts of the country, being part of the wealthy business community. There is also a synagogue and a private Jewish cemetery here. At the height of the Arab-Israeli war, the synagogue was attacked and torched by angry Muslims. The structure was later refurbished. Bahrain has no diplomatic relations with Israel. In 1969, an official Israeli delegation visited Bahrain but protesters burned the Israeli flag in a large street demonstration at the time. In 2006, after Bahrain signed the Free Trade Agreement with the U.S., Manama closed down a government office that endorsed a boycott of Israeli goods. Media reports have speculated that with appointments such as Nono's, Bahrain may be seeking to pave the way to forming ties with Israel Bookmark to del.icio.us   Slamming Obama McCain uses speech to AIPAC to criticize Obama for willingness to meet U.S. foes. Soldier kidnapping Three Israeli Arabs charged with planning to kidnap, kill soldier.   1.   Bahrain demonstrates the difference 16:12  |  Natallie Durson 29/05/08   2.   good news 16:20  |  bashar 29/05/08   3.   WOW! Even Israel hasn`t done that! 16:30  |  Equality Now 29/05/08   4.   Big Deal 16:44  |  Tired of Hearing 29/05/08   5.   Equality Now 17:09  |  marbpl 29/05/08   6.   Very good move by the king 17:14  |  Matthew 29/05/08   7.   #4 17:28  |  Keops 29/05/08   8.   nono--collaborated with arab oil sales to South Africa 17:48  |  bob 29/05/08   9.   #3 - Equality Now 17:48  |  MichaelF 29/05/08   10.   #4 - Tired 17:51  |  MichaelF 29/05/08   11.   Egypt would never have done this. Well done / Mabrouk 17:51  |  EgyptJewRefugee 29/05/08   12.   #1 - Natallie Durson 17:53  |  MichaelF 29/05/08   13.   #1 AMEN! 17:59  |  bashar 29/05/08   14.   The difference re #1 17:59  |  justice is fairness 29/05/08   15.   #3 18:01  |  amhon 29/05/08   16.   After the Pollard and Kadish cases, who will trust her? 18:11  |  Chanalau, Tova 29/05/08   17.   JEWS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT NATION IN THE EYES OF MUSLIM WORLD))) 18:11  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 29/05/08   18.   She is the first Jew in the Arab world to become ambassador 18:15  |  Daoud 29/05/08   19.   title misleading; Bahraini king taps Jewish woman 18:33  |  A Bethlehemite 29/05/08   20.   Bahrein- To number 3 Equality Now 18:58  |  Lou 29/05/08   21.   This is no surprise! 19:02  |  IknowitALL 29/05/08   22.   bethlehem good one 19:10  |  joe frazier 29/05/08   23.   we dont No sucking up to us 20:22  |  David 29/05/08   24.   Israel has non-Jewish ambassadors 20:23  |  Dan 29/05/08   25.   arabs, jews, and muslims.... 20:26  |  bashar 29/05/08   26.   #24, dan: name a single non-jewish israeli ambassador 20:30  |  bashar 29/05/08   27.   #21 IknowitALL 20:49  |  Jan Vlaming 29/05/08   28.   #26 - Bashar - Reda Mansour 20:52  |  Dan 29/05/08   29.   To Jan Vlaming #27 21:08  |  Colin Wright 29/05/08   30.   To #23 `We dont No sucking up to us 21:11  |  Colin Wright 29/05/08   31.   You Must Reciprocate. While in the process of destroying 21:14  |  Simon Mohammed 29/05/08   32.   Bahrain in the banking center of the ME and 21:54  |  a wandering Jew 29/05/08   33.   Israel has Arab diplomats and even an Arab cabinet minister 22:06  |  Realist 29/05/08   34.   Durson 22:32  |  Jane 29/05/08   35.   Chanalau 22:33  |  Jane 29/05/08   36.   Dan #24 22:34  |  Jane 29/05/08   37.   First step to formal ties with Israel? Good news. Hopeful. 23:15  |  common sense 29/05/08   38.   Goes to show that arabs are not against jews, just Israel, zionis 23:53  |  The Peacemaker 29/05/08   39.   So the Bahraini King is getting groovy with the jewess; tap this! 23:54  |  Lovemaker 29/05/08   40.   Has ever Hoda Nono wished to destroy Bahrain? NO! 00:29  |  Genuine Tosefta 30/05/08   41.   answer to bashar #26 01:35  |  Avi 30/05/08   42.   A little sensationalised 06:53  |  N 30/05/08   43.   "To common sense" 07:00  |  Joey 30/05/08   44.   Ali Yahia is Ambassador to Greece 07:07  |  Slibovitz 30/05/08   45.   to no.11 08:09  |  Averoes 30/05/08   46.   Arab Jews are Arabs 10:25  |  Dawood 30/05/08   47.   #46 Dawood - Genocidalists` Remorse? 11:30  |  Slibovitz 30/05/08   48.   #5 : I am well qualified and would love to be an ambassado. 11:45  |  Hamdi 30/05/08   49.   The First Jewish USA Senator 15:00  |  Buzaglow 30/05/08   50.   dawood-#46 16:27  |  vs 30/05/08   51.   MichaelF + Eqality Now 16:30  |  ChanahS 30/05/08   52.   Bashar re 31 16:32  |  ChanahS 30/05/08   53.   bashar # 25 16:37  |  ChanahS 30/05/08   54.   DON`T KID YOURSEVLS - brown-nosing king not driven by liberalism 16:51  |  Moto 30/05/08   55.   The Exception that Proves the Rule 18:41  |  Seraph 30/05/08   56.   Sorry Dawood 20:05  |  Misha 30/05/08   57.   Amb 00:20  |  Roger Shaoul 31/05/08   58.   Oh no... 21:56  |  Brazilian Jew 01/06/08   59.   Is bahrain planning investments in America? 22:24  |  Jasem 02/06/08   60.   The Nonos are fiercely anti Zionist 22:27  |  Jasem 02/06/08

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