Tibi: Vote for Kadima is bullet in Palestinian child

Arab MK Ahmad Tibi says to Kadima during Knesset House Committee discussion on proposal to disqualify Balad from running for Knesset in upcoming elections: 'You went to war as election campaign and committed genocide.' Lieberman: Arab party has become terrorist arm

Zvi Lavi|Published: 01.12.09 , 15:25

Monday's discussion in the Knesset House Committee on whether Arab political party Balad will be allowed to run in the upcoming elections quickly turned into a stormy discussion on Operation Cast Lead, Israel's military initiative in the Gaza Strip.

MK Ahmad Tibi (United Arab List-Ta'al) said, "You went to war as an election campaign. Every vote for Kadima is a bullet in the chest of a Palestinian child in Gaza."

During the discussion, Tibi referred to the IDF offensive in Gaza, saying, "We are against hurting civilians, but you are committing genocide in Gaza. You are murdering children."

MK David Rotem (Yisrael Beiteinu) responded: "We thought you were from the Lovers of Zion, so we didn't ask to disqualify you. Where have you been the past eight years when Sderot was under fire?"

MK Tibi attacked the elections committee, and said, "The elections committee has become a tribunal whose objective is to slander the authentic leadership of the Arab public."

MK Rotem said in response, "You can save yourself this suffering if you just don't run in the elections." Tibi reacted, "According to all indicators, I will be I the Knesset more than you."

In recent weeks, three requests to disqualify Balad have been submitted to the elections committee. The petitioners – National Union, Yisrael Beiteinu, and Shinui MK Itay Forman – claimed that Balad does not recognize Israel as a Jewish state and supports the armed struggle against the State of Israel. The elections committee, made up of members of all the various political factions, will hold a vote on the petitions to disqualify the Arab political party on Monday.

The High Court of Justice overturned in the past a previous decision of the election committee to disqualify Balad from running in Knesset elections.

Boycotting elections a potential consequence

Balad Chairman MK Jamal Zahalka called the Knesset Committee meeting on the request to disqualify his party from Knesset elections "a test for Israeli democracy".

"Disqualifying Balad will lead to the Arab public boycotting the elections and a chasm between us and the State of Israel," Zahalka added. During the committee meeting, Zahalka accosted the Yisrael Beiteinu MK Avigdor Lieberman.

"This is not a defensive democracy, but a fascist attack on democracy. Lieberman could have been accepted as a respected member of any fascist party. He came to Israel as an immigrant, and he has no right to speak out against Israel natives. Why are you afraid of democracy? We are prepared to grant you equality. We offer you life, to live and die together," Zahalka said.

Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman MK Lieberman said during one of the breaks in Monday's discussion, "The Balad party has become a terrorist arm. Balad admits that Azmi Bishara is their spiritual leader. We must remember that this is a man who ran away from Israel and is indicted with treason against the state. In addition, another one of their MKs, Jamal Zahalka, used a diplomatic passport as a Knesset member to visit Jordan in order to speak with terrorist organizations there. Whoever values life understands that there is no place for terrorist organizations in the Knesset."

Attorney General Representative Adv. Dana Bricksman said that two of the disqualification requests have been rejected because the appellants failed to bring forth sufficient evidence to disqualify the political party.