Hanin Zoabi
Hanin ZoabiFlash 90

Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein approved on Friday the launching of a criminal investigation against MK Hanin Zoabi (Balad) on suspicion of incitement to violence and offending a public servant.

The investigation is over a recent incident in which Arab rioters clashed with security forces during a demonstration in Nazareth. There has been no decision as of yet regarding an investigation into Zoabi's conduct during a violent demonstration in Haifa last Friday, during which she was handcuffed for several minutes.

Following Weinstein’s approval, Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino instructed the head of the investigations and intelligence department to go ahead with the investigation.

Zoabi has openly encouraged Hamas, stating in a recent interview that Israel is “afraid of casualties” and is hoping for a ceasefire. 

This statement is just one in a long line of anti-Israel statements and actions on Zoabi’s part. Recently, she declared that Israel should "thank her" for allowing Jews to live in the Jewish State. 

The anti-Israel MK was thrust back into the spotlight last month, after making a series of remarks defending Hamas's horrific abduction and murder of three Israeli yeshiva high school students.

MK Danny Danon (Likud) welcomed the decision to launch an investigation against Zoabi and wrote on his Facebook page, “It is time for this terrorist to be in jail. I hope that the investigation will finish soon and will lead to her conviction.”

Deputy Interior Minister Faina Kirschenbaum (Yisrael Beytenu) welcomed the investigation into Zoabi as well.

“The police will have no problem to collect evidence of her incitement against Israel, and her support for the Hamas terrorist organization,” she said.

Responding to the decision to investigate her, Zoabi said Friday, according to Army Radio, "I will continue my activities to lift the siege and end the occupation."

She added that "there should be an investigation against the officers who broke the law with their brutal behavior."

(Arutz Sheva’s North American Desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)