Heba Yazbak
Heba YazbakEsti Desiubov/TPS

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced on Monday evening that MK Heba Yazbak, a member of the Balad faction of the predominantly Arab Joint List party, may run in the elections for the 23rd Knesset.

Earlier in the day, Yazbak responded to Mandelblit's request that she clarify her remarks in an interview on Channel 13 News, during which claimed that "international law allows peoples under occupation to act for their release."

MK Yazbak made it clear to the Attorney General, "My remarks do not constitute a call for violence against soldiers."

The Yamina party responded to the decision, saying, "This gives a tailwind to support for terrorism. It is a miserable and unjust decision to allow terrorist supporter Hiba Yazbak to become a member of the Knesset."

"Freedom of speech does not justify the promotion of a terrorist supporter. Yazbak would be better suited to represent Hamas than Israeli citizens. We will work to prevent her entry into the Israeli legislature."

Yazbak has come under fire for praising terrorists who murdered Israelis, including expressing regret over the elimination of terrorist Samir Kuntar, who smashed the skull of four-year-old Einat Haran in the Nahariya terror attack in 1979.

The Yisrael Beytenu party has submitted a request that Yazbak be disqualified from running for the Knesset. MK Ofir Katz of the Likud submitted a similar request.