MK Stav Shafir (Zionist Union) chaired a special Knesset committee discussion Monday morning, venting claims by far-left MKs who claim the State indirectly finances activities of the "price tag" campaign.
Shafir began by slamming the fact that the Honenu legal rights organization, which commonly represents right-wing activists in court, is gaining recognition from the Israeli tax authorities - despite the group's activities being entirely legal.
Superintendent Yaron Binyamin of the police investigations division told the MKs that the police have made it a top priority to place stringent treatment on "price tag" activities against Palestinians in the Judea and Samaria. But he said that "these offenses do not require much resources - cans of gasoline or graffiti – although they cause much damage, they do not require a source of funding to finance such activity."
Tamar Zandberg, who is affiliated with the extreme left party Meretz, inquired with Binyamin whether rabbis or community leaders are being investigated. "Rabbis were questioned on suspicion of incitement. All incitements are being investigated," said Binyamin.
During the discussion, Zandberg and Shafir locked horns with the police representative answering their questions. "You are asking about funding and I am giving the answer. We deal with the facts in the investigation, not connections and relations that everyone is entitled to do. We are dealing with facts and evidence.”
Representatives of the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria sent a clear message to Shafir and chose to boycott the meeting and did not approach her. "It's not possible. It is on the border admission of guilt. Shame," said Shafir in fury.
MK Oren Hazan (Likud) criticized MK Stav Shafir's conduct, "You should be ashamed! You are defaming a whole group of people for half an hour already, this is not proper behavior," said Hazan and in response was removed from the discussion.
Shafir used the opportunity to attack the religious education system as a whole, and did not receive cooperation from government officials who came to the hearing.
During the debate Zandberg raged at the Ministry of Justice Attorney Shlomi Avramzon. "People burn out here and you have no answers,” said Zandberg.
Avramzon retaliated by calling her a “populist" for her incendiary remarks, prompting Zandberg to respond: "you do not get to call me a populist."