MKs: Put sanctions on Arab MKs who went to unity event

National Union MK says “throw out the traitors and the collaborators with those who want to destroy the very Knesset in which they serve.”

By REBECCA ANNA STOIL
yaacov katz 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
yaacov katz 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Right-wing MKs called Wednesday for sanctions against a number of their Arab colleagues who participated in the Cairo ceremony marking the formal signing of an agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
National Union Chairman MK Ya’acov Katz called on Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin to intervene and “throw out the traitors and the murderers and the collaborators with those who want to destroy the very Knesset in which they serve.”
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Almagor, a terrorism victims’ advocacy organization, called on Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein to open a criminal investigation into the participation of MKs Ahmed Tibi, Muhammad Barakei and Taleb a-Sanaa in the ceremony.
The organization argued that because Hamas is officially recognized as a terrorist organization, anyone participating in an event involving Hamas has violated an law prohibiting attending a meeting of a terrorist group.
“Public support of a unity agreement with a terrorist organization is the peak of expressing support of the organization, and renders useless all attempts by legislators to differentiate between legitimate organizations and organizations that should not exist at all,” Almagor wrote in the letter to Weinstein.
Meanwhile, Tibi defended his decision to attend the ceremony.
Speaking with Army Radio from Cairo, the veteran legislator described it as “a peace agreement that restores unity to the Palestinian people. I am proud to be at this moment.”
MK Arye Eldad (National Union) said that he “welcomed the Arab MKs’ participation in the ceremony and hoped, of course, that they stay there, and not return to Israel.”
“It is good for the people of Israel to know the Arabs’ representatives in the Knesset – and understand without a doubt that they support Hamas – identify with our worst enemies and, even if... after terrorist attacks they deign to condemn outwardly every act of violence, there is no doubt that in their hearts they are partners in the happiness over the killing of Jews.”
Eldad was joined in his condemnation by MK David Rotem (Israel Beiteinu) who said that “the time has come for those MKs who participated in the ceremony in Cairo to become members of the Hamas parliament, and not of the Israeli Knesset.”