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22-511: Its president is Houda Ezra Nonoo , making the Society unique in the Arab world in being the only human rights group headed by a Jewish woman. Nonoo is a business woman. Another prominent member is trade unionist, Faisal Fulad . The society has sought to support women's rights activists' campaign for the introduction of a personal status law to protect women in divorce and child custody. In association with

44-658: A leaked diplomatic cable . In September 2006, founding member Faisal Fulad was implicated in the Bandargate scandal , accused of receiving BD500 (US$ 1,330) per month from the head of the scandal, Ahmed bin Ateyatalla Al Khalifa . The alleged plot aimed to instigate sectarian strife and maintain the dominance of the ruling Sunni community over the majority Shia . The Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society's defence of leftist writer, Sameera Rajab, also brought

66-519: A British Jew, with whom she had two sons; Menasheh and Ezra. After her father died in a car accident, she returned to Bahrain to take over the Basma Company, a company offering different office services, from IT to janitoring, hence becoming a successful businesswoman after inheriting the family's business. Prior to her appointment to the Majlis al-shura in 2005, she founded in 2004 and presided over

88-501: A Jew might not be the best choice to defend Bahrain's refusal to recognise Israel . King Al-Khalifa rejected these concerns. During her term as ambassador, she made quite a few changes at the embassy, like changing the iftar from all-male gatherings to mixed-gender events with lectures on Islam and also introduced and interfaith reunions with local imams, rabbis and Christian clergy as guests. Her role ended in November 2013, when she

110-560: A century ago. On 3 July 2008, Nonoo was appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States, a role that also included responsibility over Bahraini diplomatic representation to Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina (non-resident). Some local media criticized the appointment, and Radio Canada reported that her nomination was controversial within Bahrain, with some suggesting that

132-523: A chief liaison officer at the office of the deputy prime minister, minister of foreign affairs; responsible for the maritime delimitation and territorial dispute between Bahrain and Qatar , in addition to other tasks. In August 2000, he assumed the position of the director of public relations and information at the court of the Crown Prince. He was Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2001 to 2005, and

154-530: A compassionate attitude that helps people appreciate how tolerant and inclusive Islam is, particularly that our religion is being relentlessly savaged by anti-Muslims in several countries." In 2012, society's call to end expat travel bans in Bahrain and to protect domestic workers' rights in Bahrain. On 21 May 2012, Bahrain submitted its Universal Periodic Review during the 13th session of the UN's Human Rights Council, Geneva. The society's secretary-general, Faisal Fulad, who

176-530: Is the right of any country in the region, including Israel to defend itself by destroying sources of danger". On 14 February 2019, Khalid bin Ahmed said that Israelis and Palestinians would be closer to a peace agreement if not for Iran's malign behavior. He said he grew up thinking that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was the most important issue in the region, but now he sees that the "more toxic" challenge in

198-538: The Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society , a society for the advancement of women's rights as well as of foreign workers in Bahrain. For a total of three years served as a member of parliament (40-member Shura Council), after being appointed by King Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah . Her appointment made headlines because Houda is part of the small Jewish community of Bahrain . Bahrain's Jewish community reportedly consists of just 37 people, most of whom are

220-525: The Bahraini Ambassador to the United States from 2008 to 2013. She was appointed to the position by decree of Foreign Affairs Minister Khaled Ben Ahmad Al-Khalifa . Nonoo is the first Jew , and third woman , to be appointed ambassador of Bahrain. She is also the first Jewish ambassador of any Middle Eastern Arab country , and the first female Bahraini ambassador to the United States. Nonoo

242-735: The Iranian regime. The society and Gulf European Center of Human Rights with a number of Bahraini human rights organizations established the Bahrain Human Rights Network and they launched a campaign for a personal status law for Bahraini Shiite Women, Conjugated with Human Rights Council meeting on 19 September 2012 to discuss the recommendations of Bahrain Human Rights. -Bahrna Conference - The first Human Rights Watch Camp Houda Ezra Nonoo Houda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo ( Arabic : هدى عزرا نونو ; born 7 September 1964) served as

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264-666: The National Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women, the society launched the Respect Movement, a petition in support of the Personal Status Law. The second part of the Respect Movement's agenda is a petition for laws to protect housemaids, who are not currently protected by Bahrain's labour laws. Nonoo and Falud are members of the Shura Council 2006–2010 . The organisation was described to be "government supported" by

286-676: The affairs of Bahrain, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon and he protested with activists outside the United Nations Human Rights Council, in Geneva on 21 May 2012. In June 2012, the Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society and Representatives Council of Bahrain condemned in the strongest terms the Iraqi regime's serious violations of human rights at Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty, as a result of the pressure and blatant interference of

308-556: The centre into conflict with Islamists: in 2004 the Akhbar Al Khaleej columnist received death threats from Shia Islamists after she described Iraqi cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani as an 'American general' for his tacit support of the US invasion. The society took a lead in the arguments that ensued with Al Wefaq over the right of journalists to criticise clerics. The society has also clashed with Salafists , specifically after

330-560: The descendants of immigrants from Iraq and Iran . Nonoo is not the first person in her family to enter Bahraini politics, or member of the Jewish community. In 1934, her grandfather Abraham Nonoo served as a member of the Manama Municipality, the first ever elected municipal body in Bahrain. In 2000, a cousin, Ebrahim Daoud Nonoo was appointed to parliament . The Nonoo family is originally from Iraq having moved to Bahrain over

352-458: The group organised a candlelight vigil for the victims of the Al Dana boat tragedy and Asalah MP Adel Mouwda criticised the laying of a wreath as against religious values. The society's Faisal Fulad responded "We did not do anything that was against religion especially that Islam is a religion of tolerance and compassion. The public tribute is not an unhealthy innovation as some people have said, but

374-615: The region is the Islamic Republic of Iran . During a 25–26 June economic conference in Manama arranged by Jared Kushner to attract investors to the Palestinian territories, Khalid told Israel's channel 13: "Israel is part of this heritage of this whole region, historically, so the Jewish people have a place amongst us". The Palestinian Authority boycotted the two-day economic conference due to

396-486: Was also in Geneva, said it was imperative for Bahrain to do more to protect the rights of migrant workers, domestic workers and those facing travel bans and protection of minority rights in Bahrain, especially Jews, Baháʼís, and Christians. The Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society and the Gulf European Center for Human Rights joined international groups in a protest against the Iranian regime and its constant meddling in

418-541: Was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs in a September 2005 cabinet reshuffle. His predecessor as foreign minister, Muhammad ibn Mubarak ibn Hamad Al Khalifah , had served in that position for over 30 years. His deputy until 2011 was Nazar Al Baharna , formerly a leading member of Al Wefaq , Bahrain's main Shia opposition party. In May 2018 he expressed his support of Israeli airstrikes in Syria against Iranian targets, saying "it

440-446: Was born in Manama , to a family of Jewish business entrepreneurs with origins in present-day Iraq . Nonoo's grandfather Ibrahim left Baghdad in 1888 and started a financial business in Bahrain. Nonoo lived for an extended period of time in the United Kingdom , where she attended Carmel College , a Jewish boarding school, and earned an MBA . She also met and married Salman Idafar,

462-628: Was born on 24 April 1960. He received a bachelor's degree in history and political sciences from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas , in 1984. Khalid bin Ahmed joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain at the rank of third secretary on 1 March 1985. Between August 1985 and November 1994 he worked at Bahrain's embassy in Washington, D.C. , where he was in charge of political, congressional, and media affairs. From June 1995 to August 2000 he worked as

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484-798: Was replaced by Abdullah bin Mohammad bin Rashed Al Khalifa , until then the military attaché of Bahrain in Washington. Khaled Ben Ahmad Al-Khalifa Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa (born 24 April 1960) is a Bahraini diplomat who served as Bahrain's Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2005 until January 2020. Khalid became only the second foreign minister in Bahrain's history after replacing Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa who then became Deputy Prime Minister of Bahrain . Khalid bin Ahmed

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