Politicsבכר עואודה

Bakhar Awawdeh

Bakhar Awawdeh is an Arab Israeli activist and politician from Kafr Kanna, elected to the 26th Knesset for Balad in 2026.

Balad member of KnessetLeading the Galilee AssociationActivism against racism

Occupation: politician
Party: Balad

The story of Bakhar Awawdeh's life

Awawdeh was born in Kafr Kanna on 11 June 1967 and studied at a university. He still lives in Kafr Kanna.

He led the Center for Combatting Racism and, from 2009 to 2019, the Galilee Association, a non-profit working on health and services in Arab communities. He also directed the education department in Ilut and headed the Kafr Kanna Popular Council. After his father Muhammad Fandi died, he and his brothers set up a fund in his memory that gives yearly scholarships to students from the town.

He was among the early activists of Balad after its founding in 1995 and sits on its political bureau. In 2013 he was arrested at a protest against the Prawer plan and released the next day under restrictions. In 2024 he co-founded Al-Ula, a group that supports Arab students in higher education.

In June 2026 he won second place on Balad's list. He ran fifth on the Joint List and moved to fourth after Sami Abu Shehadeh was disqualified. He was elected in November 2026 as the list won 11 seats.