Muslim Joins Israeli Cabinet

For the first time in its 58-year history, the Israeli parliament has voted a Muslim into a Cabinet-minister position-- and by a wide margin!

Raleb Majadele was seated today after a vote of 59-23 in the Knesset in favor of his appointment. His position gives representation to Israeli Arabs who make up about 20-percent of the 7-million citizens of Israel. As Majadele told AP Television News, his goals as a Cabinet minister will be ''promoting coexistence between the two peoples inside the state, and promoting dialogue between the Palestinians and the Israelis toward negotiations and political agreement.''

Israel's 120-member Knesset currently includes 13 Arab members. Majadele joins only one other individual to be an Arab Cabinet minister: Salah Tarif, a Druse, was appointed in 2001 and forced to resign nine months later under a cloud of corrupt allegations.