Failed to obtain permit – Ahmed Tibi
Photo: Erez Ehrlichman
Tibi in hot water over Lebanon trip
Arab-Israeli Knesset member to face criminal investigation after traveling to Lebanon without permit
TEL AVIV – Attorney General Menachem Mazuz instructed police Tuesday to launch a criminal investigation against Arab-Israeli Knesset Member Ahmed Tibi on suspicion he traveled to Lebanon in May of this year without a permit.
The affair began in February, after Tibi traveled to Lebanon without applying for a permit, as required by law. Notably, Lebanon is defined by law as an enemy state.
Following the trip, Mazuz looked into the matter and decided not to resort to criminal proceedings, partly because of clarifications issued by Tibi through the media.
Tibi warned before
In April, Mazuz’s office turned to Tibi and stressed that the ban on traveling to enemy countries applies to Knesset members as well. In a letter, Tibi was told that he would need to apply for a special Interior Ministry permit if he wished to travel to Lebanon again.
However, in an interview to Lebanese newspaper al-Safir, Tibi revealed he did travel to Lebanon again, in May. In the interview, Tibi said he made the trip in order to “bow his head over those who fell victim on behalf of Palestine.”
Following the revelations, Mazuz discovered that Tibi again failed to acquire the proper permit for the trip. This time, however, the attorney general ordered the criminal investigation and informed Tibi of the decision.
