Join Arab List MK Touma-Suleiman
The Knesset Channel
MK Suleiman accuses Israel of buying oil from IS
During an argument with Zionist Union MK Revital Swid, Joint List MK Touma-Suleiman scathingly attacks Israel and its government, alleging it collaborated with the Islamic State and purchased oil from the terrorist group, as 'documented by the UN'; MK Swid countered by accusing Suleiman of supporting Hezbollah.
Join List MK Aida Touma-Suleiman accused Israel during a Knesset plenum speech Monday evening of collaborating with the Islamic State, on the heels of her claim that the country was intentionally escalating the security situation.
MK Suleiman's speech came following Zionist Union MK Revital Swid's own remarks, in which she referenced her fellow Arab parliamentarian's remarks from two days ago that said the country starting wars was the one sending fighter jets to bomb other countries.
Swid addressed Suleiman directly from the podium and said, "I ask you, who do you represent? Do you represent the majority of Israeli Arabs with that utterance? Does she represent you, Ayman Odeh? Who does she support, the man who's been slaughtering his own countrymen for the past six years? The millions of people uprooted from their homes and murdered?
Joint List MK Suleiman accused Israel of collaborating with and buying oil from the Islamic State (Photo: The Knesset Channel)
At this point in Swid's speech an acrimonious argument broke out between her and Suleiman, who shouted, "Stop lying and stop inciting."
Swid then waved the famous photo of Alan Kurdi, a three-year-old Kurdish refugee from Syria who drowned in a failed attempt to flee the war with his family, lying prone on the beach and shouted, "Ask him whether they blink for one second when they kill."
Alan Kurdi (Photo: Reuters)
Responding, Suleiman fired back, "I wanted to provide my own account after MK Revital Swid lashed out and distorted my words from this very podium. Let me clear: I'm against wars—all wars—and against arms races. These are my principles.
"I'm against a racist and pretentious policy against sovereign states in the region or in the world, and against collaborating with extremist and terrorist groups that massacre people such as the Islamic State. I'm not the one who collaborated with those groups. The United Nations have documented (the Israeli) government's collaboration with these groups."
MK Suleiman continued, "These links have been well documented, with reports surfacing of oil purchases from the Islamic State, which the Israeli government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu has done.
Zionist Union MK Swid accused Suleiman of supporting Hezbollah
"Time and again, the government has attacked sovereign states. Yes, mine was something of a different voice Saturday in warning against a provocative policy that may drag the people of Israel and the people of other countries in the region to needless wars. It is my duty—rather than my right—to caution against unnecessary conflict, provocations and adventurism."
Addressing the opposition, Suleiman exhorted them, "Why don't you stop acting like a pathetic excuse of the coalition and start acting like an opposition: talk about peace and equality. Don't be held captive by briefings, stand up straight and be an alternative. Speak out against wars. I will not be silenced."
At this point, MK Swid interjected by accusing Suleiman of supporting Hezbollah.
The Arab MK retaliated, "You won't preach your moralistic words to me. The time has come for you to open your ears and listen when true morality is speaking. Don't shed tears over the Syrian people. Someone who says they care cares about all people, while you've done nothing for the Syrian people or for the abandonment of war."
