Arab MKs: Netanyahu led to violent escalation
Joint List lawmakers react to Sunday night's terrorist attack which wounded 4 including one seriously, saying Netanyahu led to the recent escalation.
Arab MKs have placed the blame for the current round of violence on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and claim that his incitement led an Arab resident to carry out a Sunday night attack near Hadera.
MK Ahmed Tibi (Joint List) said that the perpetrator was an outlier, and that Arab Israelis support a nonviolent struggle. MK Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu), for his part, said that anti-terrorism laws should be used to prosecute Arab Israelis who riot.
Four people were wounded in the attack in Gan Shmuel, near Hadera, including a female soldier who is in serious condition, and a 15-year-old. The terrorist, Ala Mhamed Zwid (20), grew up near Jenin, and became a resident of Umm Al Fahm through a family reunification process.
"I condemn the terrible attack against citizens. The fact that there are children among the wounded is heartbreaking, Odeh said. "We are in the midst of a terrible time, which we were led into by an irresponsible and cruel government, but violence is it not our way and never has been. The current government and prime minister are responsible for this terrible situation," Odeh said.
He concluded by saying, "We will continue our rightful struggle in order to bring about justice and peace for both peoples living in this land."
MK Masud Ganaim attributed the violence to the lack of a diplomatic process with the Palestinians, and the rising tensions surrounding the Al Aqsa mosque. "It’s a continuation of an escalation which began a few days ago. Netanyahu's threats against the Islamic Movement and against Joint List MKs served their propose," he said.
According to him, recent events like the shooting of the female terrorist from Nazareth, and the stabbing attack against Arabs in Dimona - may lead other youths from the Arab sector to conduct attacks. "We don’t want this escalation; we want to end the bloodshed by way of the Arab Higher Monitoring Committee, so that people don't go out and express their rage in violent ways."
Ganaim concluded saying, "We decided to hold a general strike in the sector on Tuesday, while calling for a special protest to express the communities' outrage."
The current fear is that Tuesday's strike will lead to widespread clashes within Israeli Arab communities.
