For the first time in the history of Israel, an Arab woman, Alham Kazan, has announced her intention to run for the role of president in the country. If she wins, Khazen would be the country’s first non-Jewish president, as she would replace current President Reuven Rivlin whose term ends in July 2020.

Alham Khazen who hails from the northern town of Bi’ina and owns a series of pharmacies in the area and a medical centre in the town of Sakhnin announced her bid for the presidency – a largely ceremonial position with the Prime Minister wielding most of the country’s power. Her current competitors are the head of the Israeli Labor Party, Amir Peretz; the former Likud MK Yehudah Glick; and former Labor Party minister Shimon Shetreet. All have officially declared their intention to run for the presidency.

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Khazen admitted that the journey to the presidency would be tough but worth it. “I think that this is an important step forward. It should have been done long ago by others to prove that we [Arab citizens of Israel] are in the game and part of the state. We tell everyone that we are citizens just like everyone else, and it is our right to demand full equality. I see no other option but to partner with the Jewish sector here,” she said.

Providing more insight into her candidacy, she also said, “I realize that my chances aren’t as high as I would like, but it is enough to just participate in the race. I plan to work hard and I have quite a few relationships with Jewish Knesset members. I have already asked the prime minister to support my candidacy in order to show that he has nothing against the Arab public and that he supports boosting the status of Arab women in the country. Similarly, I approached my own party, Blue and White. While I am not sure that everyone will support me, some of them might.”

There are 1,890,000 Arab Muslim and Christian citizens in Israel, around 20 percent of the country’s total population.