Ksenia Svetlova Israeli politician, member of the Knesset Date of Birth: 28.07.1977 Country: Israel

1. Early Life and Education
2. Journalistic Career
3. Academic and Research Contributions
4. Political Activity
5. Knesset Service
6. Political Views
7. Personal Life

Early Life and Education

Ksenia Svetlova was born on July 28, 1977, in Moscow, Russia. She immigrated to Israel in 1991 with her mother and grandmother. She attended the religious girls' school Bat Zion in Jerusalem for three years before pursuing higher education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Svetlova earned her first and second academic degrees in journalism, Arabic language, Islamic studies, and the Middle East. She currently holds a doctoral degree from the same university, where her dissertation focused on the Egyptian press's attitudes towards Israel from 1979 to 2011.

Journalistic Career

Svetlova began her career at the Institute for Media Studies on the Middle East. In 2002, she joined Channel 9 as a correspondent and commentator on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. She became a regular contributor to The Washington Post, The Jerusalem Post, and Haaretz, and was a permanent author for the BBC website. Svetlova also collaborated extensively with Russian media outlets, including Slon Magazine and Echo of Moscow radio.

As a special correspondent for Channel 9, Svetlova reported on significant events such as the Iraq War, the funeral of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the implementation of the Israeli unilateral disengagement plan, and the Syrian Civil War. She accurately predicted the imminent fall of the Hosni Mubarak regime in Egypt in 2011 and reported live from Cairo's Tahrir Square during the protests that witnessed the violence against Western journalists.

Academic and Research Contributions

Svetlova has written extensively on topics related to the Middle East and Islam. She has covered the Arab Spring uprisings and published several articles on the subject. Her research interests include the Kurdish people, the connection between the State of Israel and the Prophet Ezekiel, and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Political Activity

In January 2015, Svetlova joined the left-wing Zionist Union political bloc. She ran for the Knesset on the Hatnuah party list and was elected as a member of the 20th Knesset.

Knesset Service

In the Knesset, Svetlova serves on the Committee on Immigration, Absorption, and Diaspora Affairs, and the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. She chairs the Consumer Protection Lobby, the Pensioners' Justice Lobby, the Religion and State Lobby, the Lobby for Fighting Delegitimization of Israel, and the Lobby for Fighting Racism. Additionally, she chairs the Israel-Estonia Parliamentary Friendship Group and the Israel-Finland Friendship Society.

Svetlova has proposed over 150 bills in areas related to the lives of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, religion and state relations, and freedom of speech and the press.

Political Views

Svetlova's political views have been characterized as social democratic. She believes in the possibility of peace between Israelis and Palestinians, stating that both sides have a vested interest in resolving the conflict. Svetlova's background as an immigrant and her exposure to the Arab world have shaped her worldview on this issue.

She has been known for her support of equal rights and her opposition to racism. In 2016, she filed a complaint against Minister of Welfare Haim Katz for alleged disrespectful and racist behavior towards her and the community she represents.

Personal Life

Svetlova is divorced and has twin daughters, Daria and Gabriela. She currently lives in Modiin-Maccabim-Reut with her family and mother. She enjoys classical music and the songs of Vladimir Vysotsky. Svetlova embraces her dual cultural identity, speaking, thinking, writing, and reading in both Russian and Hebrew. She also loves reading Israeli literature, Russian classics, and the works of Israeli singer-songwriter Yehudah Poliker.