Azmi Bisharar
Azmi BishararFlash 90

Azmi Bishara, a former Arab Knesset member from the Balad party who was forced to flee the country after it was revealed that he had passed information to Hezbollah in the 2006 Second Lebanon War, is slated to speak next week in Washington, D.C., The Washington Free Beacon has revealed.

It is unclear how he obtained permission to enter U.S. soil.

Bishara, who has resided in Qatar since fleeing Israel in 2007 and is still wanted for questioning in Israel for transmitting information to Hezbollah which helped direct their missiles at Israeli citizens, is confirmed to speak next week at Washington’s downtown Marriott hotel as part of a conference organized by The Arab Center of Washington, D.C., according to The Free Beacon.

An official from the Arab Center confirmed to the news website that Bishara will be attending the event, raising questions about how an individual linked to a U.S.-designated sponsor of terror obtained permission to enter America.

Bishara was initially slated to speak alongside former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, who the Free Beacon has learned cancelled his appearance. The talk was to focus on the promotion of democracy in the Arab world.

McFaul’s image was removed from the conference’s webpage several hours after the Free Beacon made an inquiry into the event, but Bishara remains listed as a speaker.

The State Department declined to tell the Free Beacon if it granted a visa to Bishara. It remains unclear how he has gotten official permission to be in the United States, as Qatar is not part of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, the website noted.

A State Department official told the Free Beacon that visas are granted on a case-by-case basis, but remain confidential.

“We are unable to provide information on individual cases because visa records are confidential under U.S. law,” an official told the website. “Visa applications are adjudicated on a case-by-case basis in accordance with U.S. law.”

One foreign policy insider familiar with the situation questioned how Bishara obtained entry to the United States.

“The Obama administration’s tilt toward Iran is so extreme that now a visa has been given to a Hezbollah terrorist so that he can visit Washington D.C.,” the source told the Free Beacon. “The administration’s love affair with Iran is a disgrace to our country and a danger to our security.”

Until the 2011 passing of the "Bishara Law," the former MK was still receiving full pension from Israel, getting a total of 500,000 shekels.

He remains a controversial figure in Israel and made headlines again two years ago when the Bnei Sakhnin soccer team, which is based in the Arab-Israeli city of Sakhnin in northern Israel, honored the former MK before a game.

The event was viewed as a provocation and the team was later slapped on the wrist by the Israel Soccer Federation, which fined it 15,000 shekels.

Three members of Balad, Hanin Zoabi,Jamal Zahalka and Basal Ghattas, took a trip in August 2014 to Qatar, a key provider of funds to the Hamas terror government.

While there, it was reported that the three met with Bishara. A Balad statement announced the trip to Qatar was for media purposes, and hinted that Bishara was indeed present in the meetings.