MK Basel Ghattas at court
Photo: Yair Sagi
Ethics Committee bars MK Ghattas from parliamentary activity for 6 months
The committee finds the Arab MK's suspected actions, of smuggling cellphones to Palestinian security prisoners, to be a 'breach of the ethical code,' giving him the harshest punishment it is authorized to give; he will still be allowed to vote.
The Knesset's Ethics Committee on Monday voted to bar MK Basel Ghattas (Joint List) from parliamentary activity for six months.
Ghattas, who is suspected of smuggling cellphones to Palestinian security prisoners, will not be allowed to speak at the Knesset's committees, make speeches at the plenum, or submit bill proposals. He will, however, still be able to vote.
This is the most severe punishment the committee is authorized to hand out.
MK Ghattas at home upon being released from police custody.
Ghattas called the decision "vindictive," saying such a decision has not been made against other MKs who were still under investigation before an indictment has been filed.
"The political system and the law enforcement system don't stop setting in records in their treatment of Arab MK," he added.
Ghattas said he will consider petitioning to the High Court of Justice and ask to cancel the decision.
The committee also discussed a request to revoke Ghattas's salary, but while most members were in favor of accepting the request, MK Yousef Jabareen (Joint List) opposed. The decision requires a unanimous vote.
Committee members determined that Ghattas's actions constitute a serious breach of ethics.
"The committee believes the acts Ghattas is being investigated for—of smuggling cellphones and other material to security prisoners—constitute a breach of the ethical code," the committee said in a statement.
MK Eyal Ben-Reuven (Zionist Union) said that "as a member of the committee, I consider MK Ghattas's actions very serious. In his actions, he seriously undermined the immunity given to members of Knesset and took advantage of it in contravention of the law."
Another committee member, MK Shuli Mualem-Rafaeli (Bayit Yehudi), stated that "the punishment given to Ghattas is in accordance with the authority given to the Ethics Committee. In this case, I believe it would have been more appropriate to give him a harsher punishment. MK Ghattas set a new and serious precedent in doing actions that have never been seen in the Knesset before. The law should give the committee the authority to hand out harsher punishments to MKs who acted against the state."
MK Yaakov Peri (Yesh Atid), a former Shin Bet chief, said Ghattas's actions are "some of the gravest a public representative can do. His actions constitute grave treason against the State of Israel and the entire public."
Ghattas, who was arrested after his parliamentary immunity was removed, was placed under house arrest for ten days last week after six days in police custody.
With Ghattas confined to his home, his lawyers asked that their client be permitted to participate in Knesset votes. A police official responded to the request in the affirmative, adding only that he would be required to be accompanied by police escorts.
Upon his release from police custody, Ghattas said: "I don’t regret what I gave to security prisoners. I met with them for many years and am trying to help them without breaking the law. It is my duty to help my people."
