Knesset erupts after deputy minister calls on Arab lawmakers to 'return' Israeli citizenship

[Israeli]

'Terrorists won't be allowed to sit here,' Likud's Yaron Mazuz says; Netanyahu accuses Arab Joint List of hypocrisy; Zionist Union MKs leave session to avoid taking part of a vote on the citizenship law.

By Jonathan Lis

A Knesset session descended into acrimony on Wednesday, after the deputy interior minister accused Israeli Arab lawmakers of participating in terrorist acts and called on them to "return" their Israeli citizenship.

The heated debate occured during a session devoted to a request by the Arab Joint List to cancel an article in the Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law, which dictates that Palestinians who marry Israeli citizens will not be eligable to receive citizenship or residency status. The law was extended by the government last week.

During the debate, Deputy Interior Minister Yaron Mazuz of Likud took to the rostrum to issue the government's response and called on Arab lawmakers to return their Israeli identity cards. Addressing the Arab Joint List's MK Haneen Zoabi, Mazuz said: "Mrs. [Haneen] Zoabi, you are the first who ought to return your ID. We are doing you people a favor by even allowing you to be seated here – terrorists won't be allowed to sit here. You people are in a democratic state, so respect the state. Whoever acts against the State of Israel using terror – has no right to be here. It's unthinkable that from this abode, people will go out and participate in terror flotillas against the State of Israel."

Amid the turmoil that subsequently erupted, Meretz MK Michal Rozin walked up to Mazuz while he was still at the stand, waving her identity card at him and demanding he 'revoke' it. Several minutes passed before Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein managed to gain control of the plenum. At one point he warned opposition MKs: "This is the last time MKs walk up to the rostrum while a minister is making a speech." In reponse, Meretz MK Ilan Gilon said: "This isn't a rostrum you are running, this is a hawker's stand." .....

http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel/.premium-1.662791

[Israeli]

1. more .....

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the stage after Mazuz criticized what he called lawmakers' hypocrisy. "I heard no condemnation from the men and women here of the war crimes being committed in Syria," he said, addressing the members of the Arab Joint List.

"The citizens of Israel have the right and the obligation to obey the state's laws, and do not have the right to blame the soldiers of the IDF who protect us all – Jews and non-Jews – as criminals of war," said Netanyahu. He added that the state was defending freedom of expression, but reserved the right to condemn what he called hypocritical behavior. "I'm talking about an issue of hypocrisy, and on your rights to say what's on your mind. We are under no obligation to agree to this hypocrisy."

Some of the exchange, in Hebrew:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=635&v=I8dOWjG9FYM

The request to amend Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law was then put to a vote and was rejected by a majority of 54 to 17. Two MKs abstained, and the Zionist Union MKs left the session to avoid taking part in the vote - an action which led Meretz head Zehava Galon to announce that her faction would stop its opposition coordination with the Zionist Union...

Taking the stand shortly after Netanyahu, Galon issued a scathing criticism of the Zionist Union. "The head inciter Netanyahu has just offered his backing to the wild incitement of his party members against the Arab Knesset members. His statements are a direct continuation of the Likud's election-time 'bus campaign,' which is now being backed by the members of Yesh Atid and Zionist Union, whose true limpness in now on display. With such an opposition, Netanyahu can take comfort that his rule is sure form many years forward," she said.

MK Ahmed Tibi, of the Arab Joint List, called on Netanyahu to apologize for Mazuz's statements.

MK Aida Touma Souliman, of the Arab Joint List, took to the podium and accused Netanyahu of being an accomplice to Mazuz's incitement. "Whoever expected the prime minister to walk up to the rostrum and defend our right to fulfil the duties that we were elected to do, was dreaming, it appears," she said. "The prime minister came up here to offer justification to the incitement started by Mazuz…. You are a partner to it – you sat here and smiled as our blood was being spilled, and it was said we speak about supporting terrorism. What terrorism are you talking about? Why put such a thing into the heads of the public? Shame."

Source: http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel/.premium-1.662791

Also @ http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4672373,00.html

[MisterP]

2. how ... Dominican

[6chars]

3. Bizarre outburst

All the venom in the OP just because Mrs. Zoabi is a member of the Arab Joint List.

[Israeli]

4. No .........its because she joined the last " terror flotilla "

ref quote : " Whoever acts against the State of Israel using terror – has no right to be here. It's unthinkable that from this abode, people will go out and participate in terror flotillas against the State of Israel."

.....and because MK Basel Ghattas (Joint Arab List) announced on Sunday that he will be joining a new flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip, as part of a campaign to lift the naval blockade on the coastal enclave and mark the fifth anniversary of the Mavi Marmara affair.

ref : http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.662315

The " venom " is not just directed at Arab members of the Joint List 6chars.

Shin Bet detains left-wing Israeli activist to glean intel on Gaza-bound flotilla
The woman was held at Ben-Gurion Airport, then ordered to report to a police station where she was questioned about flotilla activists.

By Chaim Levinson

The Shin Bet security service detained a left-wing activist at Ben-Gurion Airport earlier this week upon her return from a vacation in Greece in an apparent attempt to glean information about Israelis planning to join the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla set to leave Greece any day.

Reut Mor, a Jaffa resident, was on the Finnish ship Estelle that in October 2012 sought to break the blockade on the Gaza Strip and was intercepted by the Israel Defense Forces en route. During the elections earlier this year she had served as a spokesperson for Hadash, one of the parties that merged to form the Arab Joint List.

Earlier this month she flew to Greece for a vacation and returned on Sunday. “When I got off the plane they detained me for over an hour,” she said. “Afterwards I was called to a side room where a Ben-Gurion security officer handed me a summons to appear at the Yarkon police station (in Tel Aviv), which didn’t say anything except to ask for Rona. I asked her what this was about and she said, ‘I’m sure you know.’”

“Rona” is the pseudonym of the Shin Bet coordinator responsible for gathering information from left-wing activists in Israel.

Mor said that she went to the police station on Monday accompanied by her lawyer, and met with "Rona" and another unidentified woman.

“They started to ask me why I had gone to Greece and what I had done in Greece. I told them I’d been on vacation. They said, ‘It wasn’t connected to the flotilla? We know that you were on the Estelle.’ I told them that was no secret, it’s my cover photo on Facebook.

“From there it transitioned into a wide range of questions about what I did in the army, about the Combatants for Peace movement for which I’d served as spokesperson eight years ago. I was asked if I was in touch with flotilla activists, if I knew about Israelis [involved]. I told them yes, that I’d heard on the news that [Joint Arab List MK] Basel Ghattas was planning to join the flotilla.

“Most of the questions did not deal with the flotilla,” Mor added. “They asked me my views on Zionism, how I view IDF soldiers, what I thought of BDS. I was asked if I still work with the Arab Joint List. I explained that I’m an independent media consultant, so Rona asked me who my clients are. I told her that was a political question, that flotillas don’t threaten Israeli security, that it’s an international campaign aimed at raising awareness of the situation in Gaza which is why it’s conducted openly, to create as much publicity as possible. I told her about the violence I experienced from IDF soldiers on the Estelle, and that I hope this time they’ll be smart enough not to use violence. Rona said she hopes we remember that we are all interested in the good of the State of Israel.”

Mor was released without being told anything.

The Shin Bet could not be reached for comment.

Source: http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel/.premium-1.662833

[Israeli]

5. It’s MK Ghattas’ right to join the Gaza flotilla

MKs are elected to represent the positions of their parties and the public that elected them. Imposing sanctions on an MK who participates in a political protest strikes at the heart of his role.

Haaretz Editorial Jun. 25

MK Basel Ghattas (Joint Arab List) announced this week that he intended joining a flotilla destined for Gaza. The Knesset House Committee’s recommendation to the Ethics Committee that it suspend Ghattas from the day he joins the flotilla and its announcement that it will consider withdrawing his rights are unacceptable infringements on an MKs’ freedom of political action.

MKs are elected to represent the positions of their parties and the public that elected them. Imposing sanctions on an MK who participates in an activity that constitutes a political protest strikes at the heart of his role. The Gaza-bound flotilla may not be popular with the Israeli public and among most MKs, but unpopular ideas are the ones especially in need of protection.

The measures the Knesset is threatening to take against Ghattas are a clear example of the tyranny of the majority; in an ostensibly democratic move based on majority decision, they intend punishing whoever doesn’t believe as the majority does. It is an issue of the ratio between majority and minority, both as regards political positions and nationality.

These measures join a series of efforts to curb the freedom of Arab MKs who wish to resist the occupation, the most blatant of which was the amendment to the Basic Law: the Knesset disqualifying Arab candidates who support the armed struggle of terror groups or enemy states against Israel. The real purpose of the amendment was to disqualify Arab candidates and party lists who support Palestinian opposition to the occupation.

The Central Elections Committee disqualified candidates on these grounds in the past, and it was the High Court of Justice that defended democracy by reinstating them. The amendment to the law regarding MKs’ immunity was also aimed at allowing measures to be taken against Palestinian MKs because of their positions.

While the High Court did not allow the disqualification of Arab MKs and Arab lists, it did not intervene in the steps taken by the Knesset Ethics Committee against MK Haneen Zoabi because of statements she made during Operation Protective Edge, nor in the sanctions imposed on her after her participation in the 2010 Gaza aid flotilla, on grounds that her petition had become theoretical with the dissolution of the Knesset.

In those instances the High Court failed to protect the minority against the tyranny of the majority. One hopes that it will not fail again, if the matter of Ghattas comes before it. All MKs must remember that Ghattas is entitled to convey his views in a nonviolent manner, whether by defiant expression or through protest activities like the flotilla.

Beyond the parliamentary attempt to rein in Ghattas, it is important to remember that the purpose of the flotilla is to break the blockade that Israel has imposed on Gaza, which continues an unacceptable situation in which nearly two million people are closed up as if in a cage. Instead of “killing the messenger,” who is trying to increase awareness of an ongoing injustice, it would behoove the State of Israel to remove the blockade and help rebuild the Gaza Strip.

Source: http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/1.662903

[Little Tich]

6. What is the justification for the debated article in the Citizenship law in the first place?

Isn't the article in the law motivated by racism only and nothing else?

[Israeli]

7. ............

The most racist Knesset in Israel's history

Lawmakers seem to compete against each other to the racist nadir, as Netanyahu is practically egging them on; and with such weak-kneed opposition, that's hardly a surprise.

Haaretz Editorial | Jun. 26, 2015

The current Knesset appears to be the most racist in the history of the legislature. It is also the most boorish and mediocre. Scandal follows scandal, MKs vie with each other to see who will lead the assembly to its nadir. Wednesday’s pick was the new deputy interior minister, MK Yaron Mazuz (Likud,) who told his Arab colleagues “we’re doing you a favor that you’re sitting here,” and called on them to return their identity cards. The most ludicrous moment was when he told them: “You’re in a democratic country, respect it.”

The right response to these contemptible words may have been to ignore them completely. A lawmaker and deputy minister who shows this level of ignorance, lack of basic understanding of democracy and pure racism, is not worthy of a response. On the other hand, it is impossible to keep silent when such low and infuriating statements are made.

Indeed, the prime minister went up to the rostrum to respond to the remarks of his fellow faction member. But Benjamin Netanyahu added insult to injury. Instead of pillorying Mazuz, as he should have, he also turned his lordly tongue on the Arab MKs and demanded that they denounce what is happening in Syria and Yemen, stating that they have no “right to accuse the IDF of war crimes.” Netanyahu cannot be suspected of ignorance and lack of understanding of democracy. Clearly, he has realized the usefulness of inciting racism against the Arabs of Israel, during the elections and after them.

And that is not the end of it. This shameful incident happened during the a debate on the proposal by the Joint Arab List to annul the amendment to the Citizenship Law that prohibits the unification of Palestinian families in Israel, which the cabinet extended last week. It is a racist amendment, nationalistic and discriminatory, which prevents Arab citizens of Israel from establishing families with their Palestinian spouses. It is revalidated for short periods because of its inherent illegality, and has been extended 13 times since it was first passed in 2003.

Zionist Union, the main opposition party and senior representative of the center-left, decided not to participate in this important vote and instructed its members to leave the plenum. It is difficult to think of a weaker or more flawed act and a greater betrayal of its role. Since it has been led by MK Isaac Herzog, it has been in constant decline. With an opposition like this, no one should be surprised at the coalition.

Source: http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/1.663102

[Little Tich]

8. I'm not surprised. Ugh. n/t

[Israeli]

10. I'm not surprised by this reaction to it Little Tich......

http://972mag.com/on-the-day-they-strip-me-of-my-citizenship/108226/

The day they strip me of my citizenship

When the deputy interior minister demands Palestinian citizens renounce our citizenship, he only exposes the true nature of the Israeli state. After all, without us there is no ‘only democracy in the Middle East.’

By Samah Salaime

Samah Salaime is a social worker, a director of AWC (Arab Women in the Center) in Lod/Lyd and a graduate of the Mandel Leadership Institute in Jerusalem. This article was first published in Hebrew on Local Call, where he/she is a blogger. Read it here.

[geek tragedy]

9. Israel and America (1950's in the South) share common values nt