MKs blame Zoabi for terrorist attack that killed 13-year-old girl
“The blood of the 13-year-old girl murdered today is on Zoabi’s hands,” Deputy Knesset Speaker Boker says.
By LAHAV HARKOVUpdated: JUNE 30, 2016 23:17Haneen Zoabi speaks at Central Elections Committee hearing to ban her from running for Knesset(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Incitement by MK Haneen Zoabi (Joint List) is to blame for the death of 13-year-old Hallel Yaffa Ariel, MKs on the Right posited Thursday.“The blood of the 13-year-old girl murdered today is on Zoabi’s hands,” Nava Boker, a deputy Knesset speaker, said. “This is the result of the incitement she speaks from the Knesset’s stage.”Speaking in the Knesset on Wednesday, Zoabi called IDF soldiers “murderers,” leading to a near-brawl in the plenum when several MKs from the coalition and opposition shouted at her and tried to rush the stage. Following the mêlée, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit to look into legal ways of removing Zoabi from the Knesset.Knesset brawl over Zoabi remarksBoker said Zoabi “encourages terrorist attacks against Jews and the murder of children in their beds. Until we put an end to it and get rid of her in the Knesset once and for all, we will continue to see terrorist attacks like the one today.”The Likud MK was one of several lawmakers to petition the Knesset Ethics Committee against Zoabi Wednesday. The Ethics Committee received more than 100 complaints, a record number, against Zoabi following her statements, most of which are from concerned citizens. In the past, the committee has suspended Zoabi from all Knesset activity except voting for periods of several months for repeatedly inciting terrorism.Yisrael Beytenu faction chairman Robert Ilatov said the “display of incitement and hatred we saw yesterday on the Knesset’s stage already has shocking ramifications: A young woman was murdered in her bed, while she was asleep.”“This is further proof we cannot let this supporter of terrorism in serve in the Knesset,” Ilatov said.MK Oded Forer (Yisrael Beytenu) said “it will be interesting to see how Zoabi will react to the terrorist attack. Will she be confused again, and call he who killed the terrorist a murderer?” Zoabi’s office said she had no comment.Also Thursday, MK Mickey Levy (Yesh Atid), who rushed the stage toward Zoabi the day before and was blocked by Knesset guards, said he does not think a designated law has to be passed to remove her from the Knesset. Following the pandemonium in the Knesset, coalition chairman David Bitan (Likud) said he was considering proposing such a law that would apply only to Zoabi.“Israeli democracy is strong enough to deal with her,” Levy said to Army Radio. “I don’t think we have to pass a personal law against one MK or another.”
