Bishara visits Libya as c'tee okays bill to end "traitors'" pensions.
By JPOST.COM STAFFazmi bishara talks 298(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Former MK Dr. Azmi Bishara (Balad) was reported on Sunday to have arrived Saturday night in Libya for a meeting with Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.The two were said to have discussed issues pertaining to the Arab world and the Palestinian struggle.While Bishara was reportedly in Libya, the Knesset's Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved a bill on Sunday that would suspend his government pension benefits. The proposed bill will suspend any pension or salary payments normally due to Knesset members if they are under investigation or indicted for a felony punishable by five years imprisonment or more committed during their tenure and seek to evade justice by refusing to appear before a court or investigators. Knesset and former Knesset members' payments would only be reinstated upon their appearance in court or compliance with investigator's requests.The passing of the bill, commonly known as the "Bishara Law," would strip former MK Bishara (Balad) of the pension payments he currently receives while he lives outside Israel. Bishara was under investigation for allegedly aiding terror group Hizbullah while serving as an Israeli MK when he fled the country in 2007.RELATED:Israeli Arab charged with spyingC'tee votes to annul Zoabi’s privileges The bill was sponsored by MK Yariv Levin (Likud) and MK Yisrael Hasson (Kadima)."I want to end this situation where betraying the State of Israel has become a profitable business that supports the traitor Bishara to the tune of thousands of shekels a month," said Levin.The bill will now have to brought to a vote in front of the entire Knesset before it can become law.
