Hunter, Green Party presidential candidate, meets in Israel with political party leader

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Dario Hunter, a Youngstown school board member seeking the Green Party’s 2020 presidential nomination, said he was in Haifa, the third-most-populous city in Israel, Monday and met with a leader of a political party there that advocates for Palestinian rights.

Hunter said he talked with Reem Hazzan, campaign manager for Hadash, a political party, about the struggle of minorities.

“We spoke about education, and I was struck by the similarities in our common effort to make sure that all children, regardless of their backgrounds, achieve a quality education and that communities are aware and united behind that effort,” Hunter said in a news release.

Hunter’s visit came a day before today’s Israeli election. Hunter said he doesn’t endorse any party in the election, but added that “members of the Green Party and others who support Palestinian rights are building pathways to peace and understanding.”

Hunter was fired in February as a part-time rabbi at Ohev Tzedek-Shaarei Torah, a Boardman synagogue. Hunter said he was fired because of statements he made about Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, while temple board members say it was because of his decision to pursue a national political campaign.