Abir Kara
Abir Kara | |
|---|---|
 Kara in 2021 | |
| Faction represented in the Knesset | |
| 2021–2022 | Yamina |
| 2022 | Economic Freedom |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 October 1983 Jerusalem, Israel |
Avraham "Abir" Kara (Hebrew: אַבְרָהָם "אַבִּיר" קָארָה; born 27 October 1983)[1] is an Israeli businessman and politician who served as a member of the Knesset from 2021 to 2022. Initially representing Yamina, he broke away to form the Economic Freedom Party in September 2022. His new party failed to win a seat in the November 2022 elections.
Since leaving the Knesset he has campaigned against what he describes as abusive class action litigation targeting small businesses.
Business career
Kara used his bar mitzvah money to open a flower stall, later expanding the business to several branches.[2] After completing his military service in the Israel Defense Forces he opened a horse ranch, and later ran franchises of a waffle bar and a pizza restaurant.[2]
Political activism
In 2019 Kara and another restaurant owner established 'I am Shulman' group to protest what they felt was government discrimination against self-employed workers.[3] In less than a month its Facebook group had grown to 120,000 members.[2]
After declining to join Likud, claiming that groups including the Histadrut union held too much power over the party,[2] prior to the 2021 elections he joined Yamina and was placed seventh on its list.[1] He was elected to the Knesset as the party won seven seats and was appointed Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.[4] After Yamina joined the Zionist Spirit alliance, Kara announced that he would leave the party on 26 August 2022.[5]
Kara launched a new party on 4 September 2022 called the Economic Freedom Party, a libertarian party that focuses on expanding personal and economic freedom.[6] The party received just 0.33% of the vote in the 2022 elections,[7] resulting in Kara losing his seat.
Post-Knesset activism
Since leaving the Knesset, Kara has served as CEO of the Fund for the Self-Employed (Hebrew: הקרן למען העצמאיים).[8] During the Iron Swords war, he raised hundreds of millions of shekels in donations for the home front and soldiers.[8] In late December 2024, together with the short-term rental owners' association Eastra and attorneys Aner Bar Ilan and Rotem Darwish, he petitioned the Supreme Court against the Ministry of Defense over a roughly ₪750 million tender for vacation vouchers for reservists who had served at least 60 days in the war.[8]
Kara led a public campaign against what he described as abuse of Israel's class action law by lawyers targeting small businesses. The campaign included demonstrations outside law offices, and in July 2024 a government bill restricting class actions against small businesses passed its first reading in the Knesset; Justice Minister Yariv Levin thanked Kara for his contribution to advancing the bill.[9][10] Disability rights organisations criticised the initiative, arguing it would weaken accessibility requirements for businesses.[11]
In September 2024 Kara was questioned by police on suspicion of violating a restraining order; he claimed the questioning was retaliation for his campaign against a "cartel" of lawyers, a claim police rejected.[12]
Controversy
In 2006 Kara was sentenced to 240 hours of community service for swearing at a police officer when he was caught putting up illegal election signs.[2] He also admitted to uprooting olive trees owned by Palestinians.[13]
References
- 1 2 בחירות 2021: חברי הכנסת ה-24 מטעם מפלגת ימינה Mako, 5 April 2021
- 1 2 3 4 5 Israel Elections: Yamina candidate Abir Kara is ready to step up The Jerusalem Post, 18 February 2021
- ↑ Reform rabbi, Kahanist agitator, firebrand writer: The new Knesset’s 16 rookies The Times of Israel, 26 March 2021
- ↑ "חבר הכנסת אביר קארה" [Member of the Knesset Abir Kara]. Knesset.
- ↑ Liel, Dafna; Segal, Amit (26 August 2022). "אביר קארה לא יתמודד ב"רוח הציונית" - קרב גרסאות בינו לבין שקד" [Abir Kara won't run with 'Zionist Spirit' - Battle of versions between him and Shaked]. N12. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ↑ Baruch, Hezki (4 September 2022). "Yamina MK launches new 'Economic Freedom Party'". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
- ↑ Election results Central Elections Committee
- 1 2 3 "מפלגת חופש כלכלי - נלחמים ביוקר המחיה". kara2026.co.il (in Hebrew).
- ↑ ""גזל בחסות החוק": אושרה הצעה נגד עושק התובענות הייצוגיות" ["Robbery under the law": Bill against class-action abuse approved]. Channel 13 (in Hebrew). 24 July 2024.
- ↑ "אושרה הצעת חוק נגד שימוש לרעה בתובענות ייצוגיות נגד עסקים" [Bill against abuse of class actions against businesses approved]. Makor Rishon (in Hebrew). 24 July 2024.
- ↑ "דיון מביש בוועדת החוקה, חוק ומשפט בכנסת". Access Israel (in Hebrew). 14 February 2024.
- ↑ "Former MK claims he was wrongfully questioned amid fight against 'cartel' of lawyers". The Times of Israel. 12 September 2024.
- ↑ Activist Who Joined Bennett's Party Had Admitted to Uprooting Palestinian Olive Trees Haaretz, 20 January 2021
External links
- Abir Kara on the Knesset website