Muslim minister Tel Aviv, Jan 29, SPA -- Israel was on the verge of installing the first Muslim Cabinet minister in its 58-year history Monday after the government overwhelmingly approved his appointment, the Associated Press reported. Parliament was scheduled to convene late Monday to give final approval to Raleb Majadele's appointment, which the government billed as a step toward equality for Muslim Arabs, Israel's largest minority. Majadele told AP Television News that his goals as aCabinet minister would be «promoting coexistence between the two peoples inside the state, and promoting dialogue between the Palestinians and the Israelis towardnegotiations and political agreement.» Majadele, a parliamentary backbencher from the centrist Labor Party, said his appointment is meant to giverepresentation to Israel's Arabs, who make up about 20percent of the country's 7 million citizens. He haspredicted that in the future, every Israeli government willbe obliged to include an Arab minister. «The present government is proud to be the firstgovernment to give executive representation to the ArabMuslim minority,» said Miri Eisin, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Israel's parliament has always had Arab lawmakers _ today, they number 13 members out of 120. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/421524