Minister Landau faces Arab criticism
Photo: Miri Tsachi
Arab MKs slam minister's 'racist worldview'
Arab Knesset members denounce Minister Uzi Landau's refusal to meet with MK Talab El-Sana; in a letter sent to Knesset Speaker Rivlin, MKs urge him to speak out against what they characterize as 'dangerous precedent'
A day after discovering that Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau refused to meet
with Knesset Member Talab El-Sana, Arab Knesset members are hitting back.
In a controversial letter Landau sent to El-Sana after the latter requested a meeting, the infrastructure minister wrote: "I see no point in holding the meeting, particularly in light of your refusal to unequivocally condemn Hamas' terror activity and call on your constituents to assist the Israeli security forces in their fight against it. Furthermore, I do not consider you a representative of the Arab and Bedouin communities, most of which do not identify with terror."
Yet in a harsh letter sent to Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin Wednesday, Arab MKs slam Landau's conduct and say it is reminiscent of dark regimes.
"The demands and conditions set forth by the minister for holding a meeting on affairs involving his ministry constitute a very grave and very dangerous precedent," the letter read. "It must not be ignored, as it is reminiscent of dark regimes while reflecting a racist and flawed worldview."
"Should this trend be met with silence, soon we will reach a time where the minister conditions his meetings with Knesset members on having them join his party and adopt his political views," the MKs wrote.
At the conclusion of the letter, signed by all Arab faction Knesset members, the MKs urge Knesset speaker Rivlin to speak out again Landau's conduct.
"In light of the dangerous ramifications of this precedent, which constitutes part of a methodical campaign of de-legitimization against the Arab public and its elected representatives, we turn to you and request that you unequivocally speak out against this flawed conducted," the letter concluded.
