MK Jamal Zahalka
MK Jamal ZahalkaYonatan Sindel/Flash 90

Following the signing on Wednesday of a new coalition agreement bringing Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu party into the government, the decision to replace former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon with Liberman received support from an unlikely source.

Joint List MK Jamal Zahalka voiced his approval of the development, albeit with harsh criticism of both Liberman and Yaalon.

In the past, Zahalka has called upon Arab ‘martyrs’ to stop Jews from visiting the Temple Mount “regardless of the cost” and said that Israeli Arabs are obliged to “fight the occupation”.

On Wednesday Zahalka gave a backhanded compliment to the incoming Defense Minister, saying he was less threatening than his predecessor.

“While Liberman is dangers, Yaalon was more dangerous,” said Zahakla. “Until today, Liberman has just talked, but Yaalon committed terrible war crimes that caused the deaths of thousands of people. To say that he [Yaalon] is a moral person is a completely immoral statement.”

Zahalka also argued that Liberman’s appointment would be beneficial to the Palestinian Authority.

“Palestinian leaders told me that Liberman’s entry [into the government] will make it easier for them on the international scene.”

“The image of Liberman in his new position will have more of an impact than thousands of words from the Israeli propaganda machine.”