MKs take Israel-Palestinian conflict off international assembly's agenda

One MK that attended the 137th assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union got a photo-op with the Russian President.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Updated: OCTOBER 17, 2017 01:54
Zionist Union MK Nachman Shai and Likud MK Sharren Haskel at 137th assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. (photo credit: IPU)
Zionist Union MK Nachman Shai and Likud MK Sharren Haskel at 137th assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
(photo credit: IPU)
The Palestinian Authority is racist against Jews, Likud MK Sharren Haskel said at the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s 137th assembly in St. Petersburg, Russia, this week.
Haskel, who is on the board of the IPU’s Forum of Young Parliamentarians, responded to accusations of racism against Israel made by the PA by saying: “The law in the Palestinian Authority says whoever sells land to a Jew will be killed. Isn’t that a racist law? Your legislation has been racist against Jews for years.”
MK Sharren Haskel at Inter-Parliamentary Union. (Courtesy)
“Israel is the only country in the Middle East that is a democracy that gives equal rights to all its citizens no matter if they’re Muslim, Christian, Druse, Beduin, Jews,” Haskel argued. “In that sense I think it’s quite obvious that when you say the only problem is the occupation you need to look inside [the PA ]. Look at what the problem really is.
“We coexist in Israel with all this multiculturalism and different religions, yet you continue to incite your younger generation to more terrorism,” she added.
Haskel called on the Palestinians to “stop inciting to more terrorism, more violence and more hatred,” if they want peace.
The Knesset delegation, led by Zionist Union MK Nachman Shai, succeeded in keeping the Israel- Palestinian conflict off the assembly’s official agenda. Shai saw the development as a positive result of their diplomatic efforts at the assembly, in which attendees represent more than 170 countries and feature 70 parliament speakers. Past assemblies generally included discussions of the conflict.
“I see this as an important achievement,” Shai said. “We demand that the IPU take a more balanced and equal approach.”
According to Shai, “There is no reason to discuss Israel-related matters when there are events happening around us that are many times more important and significant.”
Other members of the Knesset delegation to the IPU are Haskel (Likud), MKs Yossi Yonah (Zionist Union) and Haim Jelin (Yesh Atid), as well as Knesset Secretary Yardena Maller-Horowitz.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also addressed the IPU Assembly on Sunday. Haskel took a selfie with him, which she posted on Twitter, calling it “me and a friend.”

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