Mohammad Knaan
צילום: זום 77
Former Arab MK: I'm not sorry I went to Syria
(VIDEO) Following his trip to Syria and Lebanon, former MK Mohammad Knaan summoned to police station in Petach Tikva: 'I am not worried and am not sorry I went to Syria. If they invite me, I will go again'
VIDEO - Former MK Mohammad Knaan (United Arab List) is being investigated Wednesday morning for breaking the law which prohibits travel to an enemy country without explicit authorization. Knaan traveled to Syrian and Lebanon. Upon his arrival at police International Investigations Unit in Petach Tikva, Knaan told reporters: "I am not worried about the investigation and am not sorry that I traveled to Syria. If they invite me again, I will go."
Knaan arrived in Syria and Lebanon in a delegation with National Democratic Assembly MKs Azmi Bishara, Wasil Taha, and Jamal Zahalka, who are also expected to be investigated. Knaan arrived late by almost an hour to the investigation.
Knaan arrives at police station (Video: Yaron Brenner) (ירון ברנר)
To the question if he would travel to Iran as well, he responded, "If I receive an invitation from Iran, then I will decide." He was also asked what would happen if Bin Laden invited him. "Bin Laden has passed away a long time ago, what is wrong with you," he said in jest. Knaan added that this is "definitely and only a political investigation. If they investigate me and my friends, why don't they investigate journalists who traveled to Lebanon?"
Two of Knaan's associates arrived with him. One of them was outraged when the word spy was tossed around by one of those present. "I am completely Israeli. Just as there are Israelis who travel to Iraq and to other Muslim countries, just as they aren't spies, he also isn't a spy," he countered.
According to this same person, the Israeli MKs crossed the border into Jordan, which is a friendly nation to Israel. Therefore, he argued, no law was broken because they didn't travel straight from Israel to Syria.
The attorney general's assistance, Attorney Raz Nazri, instructed the police to investigate the MKs for allegedly traveling illegally to an enemy country. Attorney Nazri noted that according to civilian law, Israelis are not permitted to travel to a number of countries designated as enemy countries. "He who knowingly travels illegally from Israel… to Syria… receives a four year sentence," is the letter of the law. Nazri also noted that travel to these countries is permitted only with permission from the interior minister of the prime minister. In actuality, no one authorized the MKs' trip to Syria.
