MK Yoaz Hendel (Blue and White) drew ire when he told Haaretz that "people came here from all sorts of countries, some people came with a concert mentality and some people came with a drum mentality."
The party's MK Ofer Shelah said: "He expressed himself in an unfortunate fashion. It would have been better if they had not been said, and they do not at all reflect the spirit of Blue and White."
MK Tamar Zandberg (Democratic Union) called Hendel a "Trojan horse," saying: "While we are working towards a left-wing government led by [Blue and White Chairman MK Benny] Gantz, there are those in Blue and White who are Trojan horses, whose purpose is to prevent such a government. We heard the racist voice of Hendel this week, and these people are trying to prevent a change of government in Israel."
MK Ahmad Tibi (Joint Arab List) slammed Hendel as a "white racist against Arabs and Middle Easterners alike."
"Hendel is not a Tarzan, he's the jungle," he said, adding that he loves the Umm Kulthum songs by Lebanese singer Fairuz, in which she uses the Middle Eastern goblet drum.
"It's almost certain that Hendel has listened to [Richard] Wagner every time that the occupation's boot tramples the Palestinians who have no human rights because of that Western culture which encourages the settlements, expulsions, and annexation. I despise his worldview and that of some of his friends, who believe in Jewish superiority."
The Likud party responded: "Hendel...treats Likud voters as those who have a 'drum mentality.' That's his treatment of those who returned home, to the Land of Israel, with a rich and beautiful culture."