JERUSALEM — An Arab became the first Muslim to be appointed to the Israeli Cabinet yesterday in a move that has been described by right-wingers as “an ax blow to the trunk of Zionism.”

But Galeb Magadla, who was appointed minister for science and technology, said his appointment was an important “first step to allowing Israeli Arabs to feel a sense of belonging.”

Israeli Arabs make up 20% of the Jewish state’s population but routinely complain about discrimination. When it was mooted, Esterina Tartman, parliamentary leader of Yisraeli Beitenu, a fiercely right-wing party that is in the ruling coalition, said Arabs in Israel were a “pestilence.” She described the move as “an ax blow to the trunk of Zionism” and insisted Israel’s status as a Jewish state ruled out the appointment of an Arab minister.

Human-rights groups said they would start legal proceedings against her for incitement to racism, but her party leader, Avigdor Lieberman, was the only no vote in cabinet on Mr. Magadla’s appointment.

When it was reported that Mr. Magadla might be made science minister, unnamed government officials questioned whether it was right to trust an Arab with a portfolio that involved access to some of Israel’s scientific state secrets.

While Israel has had an Arab Druze minister before, it has never had one from the Islamic community, many of whom regard themselves as no different from the Palestinian Arabs in the West Bank and Gaza, Israel’s military and political enemy for decades.