MK Anastassia Michaeli (Yisrael Beiteinu) participated in an anti-violence conference in Eilat just days after it was reported that she attacked MKHanin Zoabi in the Knesset because the latter participated in an aid flotilla to Gaza.
But Michaeli claimed she had not touched a hair on Zoabi's head. "It was a reaction. I thought that woman had no right to take the stage," she told the conference.
Many MKs aside from Michaeli also attacked the Balad Party member verbally on what fast became one of the Knesset's stormiest days.
Michaeli tried to remove her physically from the stage, after which she herself was removed from the plenum, but on Thursday she rejected allegations that she had behaved violently.
"After Zoabi participated in the flotilla and then stood before a PLO flag, she had the nerve to ascend the podium and speak," Michaeli said.
"I couldn't allow myself to stay silent. I acted out of a conviction that we will not allow anyone to harm Israel's sovereignty. I, as a representative of the State of Israel, thought that woman had no right to stand on a stage with the flag of Israel behind her."
She added, "It was not violence on my part. I didn't touch anyone."
Michaeli was speaking at a panel entitled 'Communication, violence, and public panic' which took place as part of the Interior Ministry's conference, entitled 'City without violence'.