A complaint was filed on Sunday to the police against Arab MK Ahmed Tibi on suspicion of incitement, racism and contempt for state symbols.
The complaint was filed by Eliyahu Nissim, a member of the Otzma LeYisrael party, headed by MKs Aryeh Eldad and Michael Ben-Ari. Nissim explained that he filed the complaint because "a few days ago Tibi posted on his Facebook page a picture that depicts himself with the Arabic caption 'Allahu Akbar on you' with small pictures of dogs made up of the symbols of the Star of David, the State emblem and the flag of the State of Israel, drawn underneath."
Nissim said that Tibi removed the picture several hours later, due to protests from other Facebook users, but not before the picture was documented in a screenshot.
"As the elections inch closer it seems that MK Ahmed Tibi is working overtime spreading racism and hatred towards Israel," said Nissim, adding, "The Israeli Flag, Emblem and Anthem Law prohibits disrespect of the state flag and prohibits the degradation of its symbols. In addition, the picture has pictures of dogs made out of the Star of David, the symbol of Judaism, which constitutes dissemination of racism, an act for which the punishment by law is imprisonment for five years."
"Following the publication of the picture, I filed a complaint with the police along with documentation of the findings," he said. "As a citizen of Israel who pays Tibi's salary I will not, under any circumstances, accept such publications that have similarities to the anti-Jewish cartoons and signs in Nazi Germany which compared the Jews to dogs. The terrorist organizations regularly compare between Jews and animals and it seems that in this publication Tibi simply dared to express his intense hatred and racism against Israel and the Jewish State."
The latest complaint follows another complaint filed by Nissim against Tibi ten days ago, this time on suspicion of incitement to terrorism and violence following his praising and glorifying of a terrorist at his recent appearance at the Bar Ilan University.
"I call on all law enforcement officials to act urgently to address this issue," said Nissim. "It cannot be that the Basic Law of Israel stipulates that a Knesset member will be disqualified if there are acts of incitement to terrorism and racism or denying the existence of Israel as a Jewish State, but the law is not enforced. It is inconceivable that, under the auspices of the High Court, we will be forced to suffer again and again from the severe phenomenon of Knesset members who disregard the law while enjoying parliamentary immunity."
Finally, said Nissim, "I want to remind Tibi that a dog is actually known as an animal loyal to its owner, he certainly does not spit in the well from which he drinks, so Tibi has a lot to learn even from dogs."
In his recent appearance at Bar Ilan, Tibi had to be whisked away to safety after he enraged an audience with provocative comments.
As he left the venue, students shouted at him "You are a murderer of children, go to Gaza, go to Syria. That is where you will find a place for yourself!"
One young student who was present at the university set off a media firestorm when she spit at Tibi. She later told Arutz Sheva that she does not regret doing so. “I spit at Tibi once, but he spits at us every day, 365 days a year,” she said, adding that spitting back at him was simply serving up justice.
Tibi has in the past praised the Palestinian Authority’s “martyrs” at a ceremony held on the occasion of "Palestinian Martyrs Day” and sponsored by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
He has also called for a boycott of products manufactured in Judea, Samaria, and east Jerusalem, saying that “settlements are a cancer spreading all over Palestinian land, and cancer should be treated and eradicated. I am talking about a peaceful and non-violent way by not buying or selling or dealing in these products from these settlements.”
Tibi's party was disqualified by Israel's Election Committee in 2009 but the High Court struck down the disqualification.