WATCH: Verbal Clashes in Knesset After Lawmaker Calls Israeli Soldiers Murderers
Israeli Arab MK Zoabi causes storm during debate on reconciliation with Turkey, prompting calls to have her barred from legislature.
Jonathan Lis Jun 29, 2016 5:46 PM
▻http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.727913
A clash broke out at the Knesset plenum on Wednesday after MK Haneen Zoabi (Joint List) called Israeli soldiers who participated in the takeover of the 2010 Gaza flotilla “murderers.” Her comments took place during a legislature session on the reconciliation agreement with Turkey, formally announced on Tuesday.
Lawmakers Mickey Levy (Yesh Atid), Oren Hazan (Likud) and Hilik Bar (Zionist Union) gathered around the podium and demanded that Zoabi be removed. Levy even ran from his seat and tried to forcefully remove her from the podium. The meeting’s chairman, Deputy Knesset Speaker Hamad Amar (Yisrael Beiteinu) removed Zoabi from the platform and the plenum. Other lawmakers, including Hazan, Levy, Meretz chairwoman Zehava Galon and Joint List MK Jamal Zahalka, were also removed.
Turkey and Israel have reconciled after a six-year rift. The agreement renormalizes diplomatic relations between the two countries and ends the crisis that erupted following the death of nine Turkish civilians during a raid by Israeli commandos on the Mavi Marmara flotilla to Gaza Strip in May 2010 – on which Zoabi was also present.
“I stood here six years ago, some of you remember the hatred and hostility toward me, and look where we got to,” Zoabi said in her speech. “Apologies to the families of those who were called terrorists. The nine that were killed, it turns out that their families need to be compensated. I demand an apology to all the political activists who were on the Marmara and an apology to MK Haneen Zoabi, who you’ve incited against for six years. I demand compensation and I will donate it to the next flotilla. As long as there’s a siege, more flotillas need to be organized.”
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QVW2fOMVjQ
MK Haneen Zoabi’s full speech at the Knesset