Deputy Health Minister, Abdel Aziz Zuabi, 48, died today in Afula. Zuabi was one of the two top-ranking non-Jewish persons in the Israeli service. The other is Jaber Muadi, Deputy Communications Minister, a Druze. Zuabi was born in Nazareth, studied in Jerusalem and was the editor of several Arab publications.
Since the early fifties he had been an active member of Mapam and thus a persistent advocate of a more dynamic Israeli peace policy, but an enthusiastic supporter of Israel’s rights in the Mideast. He was a Knesset member in the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Knessets, and in 1969 he became Deputy Minister of Health, the first non-Jew to reach such a position.
Zuabi was known to have a heart condition but continued work at a fast pace. Last night he was still seen at the Knesset and this morning he went as usual to his office in Nazareth. There he collapsed and was rushed to Afula Hospital, dead on arrival.
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