Netanyahu: Arab MKs who visited terrorists’ families are building ‘walls of hate’

Erdan: Bodies of terrorists won’t be released until families commit to holding small funerals in middle of night that don’t turn into demonstrations of support for terrorism.

By HERB KEINON
Updated: FEBRUARY 7, 2016 12:53
Netanyahu - Arab MKs who visited terrorists’ families are building ‘walls of hate’
The three Arab MKs who met with the families of terrorists are “building walls of hate” while the government is investing significant resources in trying to integrate Israeli Arabs into Israeli society, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday.
Netanyahu, speaking at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting, said he could only imagine what the response would be if members of the US Congress or British Parliament stood in a moment of silence for murderers who murdered their nationals.
“I think there would justifiably have been a great outcry,” he said, adding that he spoke to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to examine what legal actions could be taken against the MKs, and what changes can be made in existing laws to ensure that those who act this way in the future will not serve in the Knesset.    
“This is important because it says something about the type of society we want,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu also touched on the arson at the synagogue in Givat Sorek in Gush Etzion dedicated to the three kidnapped and murdered youths in Gush Etzion in 2014, saying he expected that all those who rightfully condemned the vandalism or burning of mosques in the past, do the same now.
“We are in a difficult struggle between those – like us – who want coexistence and peace, and those who want war and blood,” he said.
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan told reporters on his way into the cabinet meeting that Israel had no intention of releasing the bodies of terrorists for burial until their families obligate themselves to bury them in the middle of the night with only a small number of participants.
The three Balad Mks -- Jamal Zahalka, Haneen Zoabi, and Basel Ghattas -- visited the families of 10 terrorists whose bodies have not been released for burial.
“The bodies will remain in the hands of the police until we can ensure that the funerals will be quiet, and not demonstrations of support for terrorists,” he said.
Regarding the visits of the three MKs, Erdan said that if the visit was to discuss the conditions for the funerals, that was one thing. But if during the visit they – as has been reported – showed signs of support for the terrorists, then that would be a violation of the law, the MKs immunity should be lifted,  and they should be tried.
According to the Palestinian Ma'an news agency, the three MKs stood in a moment of silence for the terrorists during the visit.