In what will be an unprecedented measure, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein on Thursday night decided to file personal complaints with the Knesset Ethics Committee against Israeli-Arab MKs Hanin Zoabi, Jamal Zahalka and Basel Ghattas of the Joint Arab List, who met this week with the families of Palestinian terrorists.
Knesset Speaker Edelstein said in a statement that the visit with the terrorists’ families constitutes incitement and encouragement to murder.
“It cannot be that while innocent civilians are being slaughtered on the streets of Israel, MKs go to comfort [the terrorists’ families] and, with incomparable audacity, even bring their requests to the government,” the Knesset Speaker said. “I see this as seriously harming the Knesset and the State of Israel and hope that this will enter the hearts and minds of Supreme Court judges next time they rule on an appeal of the disqualification of unworthy candidates for the Knesset.”
Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan on Thursday registered his anger at the fact that Israeli police refusal to release the bodies of Arab terrorists until the families commit to not turning the funerals into a riot, is being used to bash Israel as if it wishes to desecrate those bodies. About the MKs who pushed that line this week, Erdan said, “Instead of promoting [the police request] the Arab MKs did the exact opposite.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu also issued a statement, saying, “Members of Knesset who go to comfort the families of terrorists who murder Israelis are not worthy of serving in the Knesset of Israel. I contacted the Knesset Speaker this evening in order to check what steps can be taken against them.”
MKs Ksenia Svetlova (Zionist camp) and Amir Ohana (Likud) have already complaints with the Knesset Ethics Committee against the terror-supporting Arab MKs.