WATCH: Arab MKs hold moment of silence for 'victims of Gaza war'

While the hall was relatively full, the moment of silence went largely uninterrupted.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Balad MK Basel Ghattas 370 (photo credit: Courtesy Balad)
Balad MK Basel Ghattas 370
(photo credit: Courtesy Balad)
Israeli Arab lawmakers held a moment of silence during a parliament session on Wednesday in honor of "the victims of this war."
While Wednesday's session in the Knesset plenum was devoted to approval of an economic bill, Balad MK Basel Ghattas prefaced his remarks with a call to honor those who have been killed in the week since Operation Protective Edge began.
"I cannot begin to speak without commenting on the political situation in which the shooting continues and innocent civilians are being murdered," Ghattas said. "I want to stand for a minute of silence in remembrance of the victims of this war that was preventable from the start."
The parliamentary session was chaired by Ra'am-Ta'al MK Ahmed Tibi.
While the hall was relatively full, the moment of silence went largely uninterrupted. During the minute, Yisrael Beiteinu MK David Rotem asked which victims Ghattas was referring to, but the MK did not respond. Tibi then asked Rotem to remain quiet.
Ghattas had asked lawmakers to stand during the minute, but that request was only accepted by MKs Jamal Zahalka and Hanin Zoabi.
Last week, Tibi caused a stir in the Knesset when he began reading aloud the names of Palestinians who had been killed in the Gaza Strip.