MK Anastasia Michaeli (Israel Beiteinu) is suspended from the Knesset for a
month, beginning on Wednesday, after pouring a cup of water on MK Ghaleb Majadle
(Labor) during a heated argument in the Knesset Education Committee this
week.
The Knesset Ethics Committee announced the Israel Beiteinu MK’s
punishment Tuesday morning, following Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin and the
Labor Party filing complaints shortly after the incident Monday.
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Michaeli
will not be allowed to participate in plenum or committee discussions, but she
will be permitted to vote.
Majadle praised the Ethics Committee’s
decision, which he said will bring back his and the Knesset’s respect and deter
others from acting similarly.
“At this point, I have not made a decision
about the continuation of this incident, and all options are open,” he
said.
The Israel Beiteinu MK apologized for pouring water on Majadle and
causing distress to her party and colleagues in the Knesset.
“There is no
place for such behavior in a respectable place such as the Knesset or anywhere
else, even if it comes from being upset and insulted,” Michaeli said.
On
Monday, Michaeli interrupted Majadle while he was speaking – not an unusual
occurrence in the Knesset – and the Labor MK told her to “shut up.” As the
argument grew heated, Majadle requested from Knesset Education Committee
chairman Alex Miller (Israel Beiteinu) to either eject or silence Michaeli for
being “rude and disorderly,” which Miller would not do.
“She, and no one
else, will silence me – I was elected to represent the public!” Majadle
exclaimed. “No one will take away my independence. Military-rule [over Israeli-
Arabs] ended in 1966.” At that point, Michaeli picked up a cup of water from the
committee’s table, poured it on Majadle’s head, and walked out of the
room.
The Labor MK then called Michaeli crazy, and her behavior “wild,
rude and fascist.”
Following the incident, Rivlin, Israel Beiteinu and
Labor all condemned Michaeli’s actions.
This is not the first time the
Israel Beiteinu MK has been punished by the Knesset Ethics Committee. In August,
Michaeli was reprimanded for “attempting to physically disturb” MK Haneen Zoabi
(Balad).
Michaeli attempted to block Zoabi as she took the stand in a
plenum discussion of the 2010 Gaza flotilla, in which the Balad MK had
participated.
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