Deri moves to revoke citizenship of ex-lawmaker who spied for Hezbollah

Azmi Bishara allegedly gave information to Hezbollah during the Second Lebanon War and fled the country while under investigation.

JULY 30, 2017 17:51

Updated: JULY 31, 2017 00:21

Former Balad MK Azmi Bishara (photo credit: TWITTER) — Former Balad MK Azmi Bishara

(photo credit: TWITTER)

Interior Minister Arye Deri took the first step toward revoking Israeli citizenship from former Balad MK Azmi Bishara, who fled the country in 2007 while under investigation for helping the enemy during a war, among other crimes.

Deri released a letter on Sunday that he sent to Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit last week asking him to allow for Bishara’s citizenship to be revoked.

Bishara allegedly gave information to Hezbollah during the Second Lebanon War and fled the country while under investigation, resigning from the Knesset via the Israeli Embassy in Cairo.

The Interior Minister wrote: “Azmi Bishara is suspected of committing serious crimes against national security, aiding an enemy state and cooperating with terrorist organizations while serving as an MK. In light of these suspicions it seems that it is justified to use my authority to cancel his citizenship...

on the grounds of committing an act that is a breach of trust with the State of Israel.”

Deri pointed out that earlier this year, the Citizenship Law was amended to allow the revocation of citizenship from people even if they live outside of Israel or cannot be located.

Bishara currently resides in Qatar, where he has citizenship and works as director of a social-sciences graduate program.

The Balad Party spokesman did not comment by press time.