MK Azmi Bishara
Photo: Hagai Aharon
MK Wasil Taha
Photo:Hagai Aharon
MK Jamal Zahalka
Photo: Hagai Aharon
‘Revoke citizenship of Arab MKs’
Shurat HaDin organization petitions High Court, demands the dismissal of MKs Bishara, Zahalka, Taha from Knesset, revocation of their citizenships
The Shurat HaDin Israel Law Center organization petitioned the High Court of Justice Wednesday, demanding that the citizenships of the three members of the National Democratic Assembly faction be revoked following their visit to Syria several months ago.
The petitioners urged Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik to dismiss National Democratic Assembly members MK Wasil Taha and MK Jamal Zahalka, as well as the faction’s chairman, MK Azmi Bishara.
The petition is based on the Citizenship Law, according to which an Israeli citizen automatically loses his citizenship if he visits an enemy state.
According to Basic Law: The Knesset, anyone who is not an Israeli citizen cannot serve as a Knesset member; the petition therefore claims that the three National Democratic Assembly members could not keep their positions, as they violated the Citizenship law, and as a result should lose their citizenship.
The petition emphasized that the MKs were not immune to the law.
“The Knesset Member Immunity Law, which allows Knesset member to leave the country unrestrictedly, does not allow them to enter enemy states without permission,” it pointed out.
The petition was filed by attorney Nitzana Darshan Leitner, who said, “It’s about time the law was enforced against MKs who take the liberty to visit enemy states whose goal is to destroy Israel, and to meet with leaders who are behind Israel’s deadliest terror attacks. The freedom of movement given to MKs, either mistakenly or out of cowardice, will end now.”
