Israeli Islamic Movement (IIM)
ISRAELI ISLAMIC MOVEMENT (IIM)
Israeli political organization, founded in 1983 by Shaykh Abdallah Nimr Darwish, to propagate Islam in the Israeli Arab community. The IIM also supported the creation of a Palestinian state, alongside the State of Israel. In September 1995, Shaykh Attaf Qatif proposed creating an "Islamic Group." In April 1996, in the context of the Knesset elections for the following May, the movement allied with the Arab Democratic Party (ADP) to constitute a common list, the United Arab List. Four members of the United Arab List won Knesset seats in the vote. Three—Tawfiq Khatib, Talib al-Sanaʿa and Abdul Wahab Darawshe—were members of the ADP, and Abdul Malik Dahamshe of the IIM became the first Islamist to sit in the Knesset.
The candidates of the Israeli Islamic Movement once more joined the United Arab List in May 1999, winning five Knesset seats, two of which went to the IIM in the elections that saw the victory of Ehud Barak, the leader of the Labor Party. In February 2001, in the elections for prime minister, with the head of the Labor Party, Ehud Barak, running against the head of Likud, Ariel Sharon, the leadership of the IIM recommended abstention.
Principal members of the Israeli Islamic Movement are: Shaykh Abdallah Nimr Darwish, Abdul Malik Dahamshe, Ibrahim Sarsur, Shaykh Attaf Qatif, Kamel Khatib and Ibrahim Darwish.
SEE ALSO Arab Democratic Party;Israeli Arabs;Knesset;United Arab List.