Arab MK Zoabi Ejected from Meeting After Calling Soldiers ‘Murderers’

YERUSHALAYIM
The Knesset building, Yerushalayim.

United Arab List MK Hanin Zoabi, well known for her acerbic and often anti-Israel tongue, is at it again – and on Monday, she was ejected from a discussion of the Knesset Education Committee for calling IDF soldiers “murderers” for killing Arab youths in order to prevent stabbing attacks. She was ordered out by Committee chairman MK Rabbi Yaakov Margi (Shas), and was hustled out by of the chamber by several female security guards.

The comment came up during a discussion of a law that would ban speakers who interfere with the work of IDF troops from speaking in schools. Known as the “Breaking the Silence” law, it was inspired by a recent ban imposed by Education Minister Naftali Bennett of speakers from the far-left Breaking the Silence group at an official school event in northern Israel, after they were accused of discouraging students from serving in the IDF.

Zoabi was attacked by MK Shuli Muallem-Refaeli (Jewish Home) who said that it was wrong to called all soldiers “murderers,” as it was akin to calling “all Arabs murderers. How can you make this comparison? Israeli soldiers have to face very difficult situations, that you Arabs yourselves create. Terrorists who are killed bring their deaths on themselves. You should be ashamed of yourself,” she told Zoabi.

Police last month recommended prosecuting Zoabi, along with fellow MKs of her Balad faction Jamal Zahalka and Juma’a Azbarga, on corruption charges. According to police, the three, along with numerous other party members and activists, were involved in money-laundering and illegal fundraising. According to police, the scheme involved raising money for the party from undocumented sources in Israel and abroad. The money was deposited into numerous bank accounts associated with some of the detainees, with false documentation and paperwork designed to avoid regulations and laws.

“The scheme was designed to raise millions of shekels for the party and avoid regulatory authorities, both in Israel and abroad. The money was reported, when such reporting took place, as coming from individual donors” who had never donated money to the party, police said.

The investigation has been going on since the summer. Some two dozen Balad officials have already been arrested. The list of detainees include prominent members of Galilee Arab communities, including lawyers, accountants, and local authority officials. Police had previously raided the offices of the party in several cities, seizing documents, computers, and other evidence.

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