Photo Credit: Screenshot
MK Jamal Zahalka in press conference before the Knesset debate on Arab MKs' dismissal.

A storm broke out at the Knesset plenum Monday afternoon after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the confirmation of his initiative to dismiss Knesset members with a 90 vote majority. The move was provoked by the visit of three MKS from the Balad faction of the United Arab List with the families of dead terrorists. MK Jamal Zahalka, who was among the MKs who visited those families and stood at attention for one minute to honor their dead, interrupted Netanyahu’s speech, calling him “fascist” until he was removed from the house.

Netanyahu spoke after the Knesset rejected a no confidence vote by opposition factions Zionist Camp (Labor), United Arab List and Yesh Atid.

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“We are in favor of integrating Arab citizens of Israel in the society, the economy and the state. We are investing a great deal of resources and efforts in it. But at the same time, especially from this point of view, we are not willing to accept a situation whereby MKs would support the families of the murderers of Israeli citizens,” Netanyahu told the plenum. “There’s a limit,” he added, “there’s something called national honor. I try to imagine what would happen in the British parliament if MPs were to stand for a silent moment in honor of John the Jihadist, or US Congressmen would honor that way the [San Bernardino, CA, shooters Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik]. They would not have accepted it and neither will we.”

At this point, United Arab List MKs were yelling at Netanyahu that he is defending “the right to incite,” and MK Zahalka pointed at the PM and yelled, “It’s incitement, he’s crazy, he’s a fascist.” Knesset Speaker MK Yuli Edelstein (Likud) later addressed Zahalka saying, “The only reason you are present in this hall is that it is a democratic parliament and we don’t remove [members] here from voting. [But] even my patience has a limit, enough.”

Zahalka retorted, “He’s endangering the lives of MKs. He’s endangering our lives. This is active incitement.” Other MKs called for Zahalka’s removal and yelled, “chutzpah.” After receiving three warnings, Zahalka was removed from the plenum.

Opposition leader Itzhak Herzog addressed the debate saying, “I and many of my colleagues also abhor and deeply loathe what the Balad members have done. But there’s a gap between that and the breach of fundamental principles of the Knesset protocol, to the point where they become a slippery slope and MKs from left and right would be kicked out of here for bad behavior.” Herzog added, “We are obligated as a Knesset to keep the rules of fair play at their most fundamental level and preserve them, because the Knesset already has the necessary means to deal with this phenomenon.”

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David writes news at JewishPress.com.