{{Short description|Arab-Israeli politician (1953–2015)}} {{Infobox officeholder |image = Nadia Hilou.jpg |birth_date = {{birth date|1953|7|5|df=y}} |birth_place = Jaffa, Israel |death_date = {{death date and age|2015|02|27|1953|7|5|df=y}} |office1 = Faction represented in the Knesset |suboffice1 = Labor Party |subterm1 = 2006–2009 }}

'''Nadia Hilou''' ({{langx|ar|ناديا حلو}}, {{langx|he|נאדיה חילו}}&lrm;; 5 July 1953 – 27 February 2015) was an Arab-Israeli social worker and politician, who served as a member of the Knesset for the Labor Party between 2006 and 2009. She was the second female Israeli Arab MK after Hussniya Jabara, and also the first female Christian MK.<ref>[http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1145961242026 Meet the New MK: Nadia Hilou]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Jerusalem Post, 28 April 2006</ref>

==Biography== Hilou was born in Jaffa, Israel, to Christian Arab parents. She studied at Tel Aviv University where she gained a BA in social work in 1976. She later returned to qualify for an MA in the same subject. In 1997, she became director of the Division for the Status of Women in the Union of local authorities, and in 2002 became deputy chairwoman of the Na'amat Women's Organisation.

Hilou entered politics following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin in 1995. She joined the Labour Party and was placed 38th on the party's list for the 1996 Knesset elections.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.idi.org.il/media/6673/%D7%9B%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%AA-14-%D7%A2%D7%91%D7%95%D7%93%D7%94.pdf|title=Labor Party list 1996|website=Israel Democracy Institute}}</ref> However, the party won 34 seats and Hilou did not enter the Knesset. After being given an unrealistic place on the One Israel list for the 1999 elections Hilou joined the One Nation party and was placed sixth on its list.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.idi.org.il/media/6712/%D7%A2%D7%9D-%D7%90%D7%97%D7%93-15.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520145702/https://en.idi.org.il/media/6712/%D7%A2%D7%9D-%D7%90%D7%97%D7%93-15.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2023-05-20|title=One Nation list 1999|website=Israel Democracy Institute}}</ref> The party won only two seats.

Hilou returned to the Labor Party and in the run-up to the 2006 elections won 15th place (a slot reserved for women) on its list. The party won 19 seats and Hilou took her place in the Knesset, relinquishing her previous positions. She served as chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. One of her first acts was to co-sponsor a successful bill strengthening laws against cyber sex with minors.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080628182039/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/811341.html New law to deal tougher with cyber sex with minors] Haaretz, 9 January 2007</ref> She has also initiated legislation on compensating the relatives of murder victims.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071218021201/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/935402.html Ministers okay bill to compensate families of murder victims] Haaretz, 17 December 2007</ref>

In 2007 she complained about the treatment of her children at Ben-Gurion Airport by security staff, saying that their treatment was "humiliating."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071123232602/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/908664.html Arab Labor MK says airport security 'humiliated' her children] Haaretz, 1 October 2007</ref> She lost her seat in the 2009 elections.

In 2013 her autobiography, titled ''The Pioneer from Ajami'', was published in Hebrew by HaKibbutz HaMeuhad Press.

Hilou lived in Jaffa and died in February 2015 from cancer.<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/2015-02-27/ty-article/.premium/former-mk-nadia-hilou-dies-at-61/0000017f-f66a-d044-adff-f7fb27d40000 Nadia Hilou, first Arab Christian woman to serve in Knesset, dies at 61] Haaretz, 27 February 2015</ref> She was survived by a husband and four daughters, Natali, Cristina, Rola and Rena.<ref>[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4631529,00.html Pioneering former M.K. dies at 61] Ynetnews, 27 February 2015</ref>

==Bibliography== *''Poretzet HaDerekh MiAjami'' (''The Trailblazer from Ajami''), HaKibbutz HaMeuhad, 2013 {{in lang|he}}

==See also== *Women in Israel

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{MKlink|id=779}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hilou, Nadia}} Category:1953 births Category:2015 deaths Category:Place of death missing Category:21st-century Israeli women politicians Category:Arab members of the Knesset Category:Deaths from cancer in Israel Category:Israeli Arab Christians Category:Israeli Christians Category:Israeli autobiographers Category:Israeli Labor Party politicians Category:Israeli social workers Category:Members of the 17th Knesset (2006–2009) Category:People from Jaffa Category:Politicians from Tel Aviv Category:Tel Aviv University alumni Category:Women autobiographers Category:Women members of the Knesset