It's official: Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa has appointed a Jewish woman as envoy to Washington - the first Jew in the Arab world to become an ambassador. The Jerusalem Post has the story:
Houda Nonoo.
Photo: AP
The king named lawmaker Houda Nonoo, a 43-year-old mother of two boys, as an ambassador on Wednesday, the official Bahrain News Agency reported Thursday.
The decree did not say where she would be posted. But Nonoo confirmed she will be US ambassador for the Gulf nation. She was widely tipped earlier this year by Bahraini media as next envoy to Washington.
"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 AP 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.
Bahrain - a pro-Western island nation with Sunni rulers and a Shi'ite majority - is a close American ally and hosts the US Navy's 5th Fleet.
The Jewish community in Bahrain dates back to ancient times, and the country contains the only synagogue in the Persian Gulf.
Today, there are between 30 and 50 Jewish citizens among a population of some half a million, compared to nearly 600 Jews before the State of Israel was established. The community boasts a synagogue and a small cemetery, though both are usually closed.
Iranian Jews loving it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.daily.pk/world/middle-east/83-middle-east/4070-iranian-jews-loving-it.html
A jew representing an islamic Shiite (majority) country
ReplyDeleteand they are proud????
Funny days
what are we going to expect more?
iraqi originaly and jew representing us what a pity.............B- - - h
ReplyDeletesure she has money to that position
go live in london where uuse to live,in ur flats and not taking our money....we dont want u even ur family is not bahraini
ReplyDelete