On Monday night, former Justice Minister MK Gideon Sa’ar (National Camp) showed that despite his ongoing enmity toward PM Benjamin Netanyahu, he has retained his sanity (and patriotism) when it comes to Eretz Israel, as well as his empathy for the thousands of Jews who were uprooted during the 2005 expulsion from Gush Katif and northern Samaria.
A different opposition MK, Gilad Kariv (Labor) showed on the same Monday night that his empathy is limited to the people of whom he approves politically, and his hatred of the folks across the aisle is furious.
Kariv attacked two former Likud members, MKs Gideon Sa’ar and Ze’ev Elkin, for supporting the coalition amendment to the 2005 expulsion law which opened up northern Samaria to returning Israelis – first in temporary conditions, and later with permanent resettlement (It’s a Good Day: Knesset Reverses 2005 Expulsion Law).
“העתיד של המפעל הציוני טמון בהיפרדות בינינו לבין מילוני פלסטינים לשלום” – ח”כ @KarivGilad על ביטול חוק ההתנתקות@HavodaParty pic.twitter.com/Hi5O9W1gPd
— ערוץ כנסת (@KnessetT) March 21, 2023
The amendment to the disengagement law was passed Monday night with a 31 to 18 majority, and MK Kariv just couldn’t tolerate the fact that Sa’ar and Elkin supported the return of Jews to their homes.
“Is this the time to give gifts to the extreme right that is dragging us toward disaster?” Kariv hollered angrily. “Is this the time to give a hug to the people who violate the laws of the state with their staying in Homesh? Do senior opposition members understand the magnitude of the moment in the fight for the rule of law in Israel? The answer is no.”
In response, to Kariv’s outrageous speech, MK Sa’ar heckled him: “You are a clown,” “Who are you anyway?” and “Who counts you?” which threw his fellow opposition member off his track, but he soon composed himself and reacted: “You should have risen above the political controversy, I will not be afraid of your heckling.”
MK Elkin, who was one of the bill’s sponsors, said after the vote: “This is the correction of a historical injustice and a moral and security folly. The disengagement was a grave mistake at the time and I opposed it. There is no doubt that a ban on Israelis staying at and visiting northern Samaria today makes no sense.”
Elkin added: “As someone who started his career in politics as the organizer of the Russian speakers’ headquarters against disengagement in the Likud referendum, and served several terms in the Knesset as the chairman of the lobby for the Gush Katif evacuees, today’s vote and the passing of the law is for me a historic closure.”
