Haneen Zoabi is a controversial Arab lawmaker in the Israeli parliament. Born in the occupied West Bank, she was raised by a devout family of Palestinians who had just witnessed an important war over their territory between two countries. Growing up under Israel's jurisdiction, she took advantage of the rare position of being an ethnic Arab while holding Israeli citizenship to attend and graduate from several prestigious Israeli universities. After working as a teacher, she decided to found her own non-government organization to use media to promote intercultural dialogue and understanding. Aspiring to do more, she then entered the world of politics and became one of the few ethnic Arabs to be elected as a member of the Israeli parliament. Just weeks after gaining her seat, Zoabi gained nationwide attention when she participated in a controversial flotilla operation. Several lawmakers then began to oppose her membership in the parliament, and she had to face numerous legal challenges to retain her seat. She continued to defend her Arab constituency and make enemies amongst other lawmakers in her country. After extensive court hearings and rulings, Haneen Zoabi is currently still a member of parliament but is facing many obstacles in the upcoming elections.