Politicsזיידאן עטשי

Zeidan Atashi

Zeidan Atashi is an Israeli Druze former diplomat and politician who served in the Knesset for the Democratic Movement for Change and Shinui.

born 1940Israel's consul in New YorkDruze Knesset member for ShinuiFounding the Druze Follow-Up Committee

Born: 10 May 1940, Isfiya
Occupation: politician, diplomat
Party: Democratic Movement for Change, Shinui
Education: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, University of Haifa

Zeidan Atashi was born in 1940 in Isfiya

Zeidan Atashi was born on 10 May 1940 in Isfiya, during the Mandate era. As a young man he was active in the local branch of the Working and Studying Youth.

He earned a BA at the University of Haifa, where he studied political science and Arabic and was active in the student union. He then completed an MA in political science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

From 1970 to 1972 he reported on northern affairs for Arabic television of the Broadcasting Authority. In 1972 he became Israel's consul in New York, a post he held until 1976, and he was also part of Israel's delegation to the UN.

In 1977 he joined the Democratic Movement for Change led by Yigael Yadin and was elected to the ninth Knesset. When the party split in 1978, he opposed staying in the coalition and joined Shinui in the opposition. He lost his seat in 1981, returned to the 11th Knesset in 1984, and lost it again in 1988.

He was among the founders of the Druze Follow-Up Committee and served as its chairman. He wrote the book Druze and Jews in Israel, A Shared Destiny?