Basel Ghattas, an MK from the Arab Joint List Party, posted on his Facebook page that, “Peres was the most ruthless, extremist and damaging president to the Palestinians.” He also wrote that Peres is, “a dictator responsible for war crimes against us. Peres is covered in our blood from head to toe. We are in no rush to join the parade of sadness and sorrow.”
Several politicians reacted in outrage.
Minister of Tourism, Yariv Levin (Likud), said that MK Ghattas’ words are an embarrassment. He said, “It’s not the first time that this man, who is truly a provocative individual of the worst kind, has behaved in this manner. I’ve said no before and I’ll say it again, people like that have no place in the Knesset.”
MK Amir Ohana (Likud) stated that, "MK Ghattas, who gets his orders from his cousin, Azmi Bishara, is going out of his way to prove to Israelis that it doesn’t matter if you are on the left or on the right - support compromises or not. As long as you support the Jewish right to a homeland – you are the enemy. There are Israelis who would call Ghattas a ‘traitor.' He and Hanin Zoabi are not traitors. He is an enemy.”
MK Oren Hazan (Likud) was outraged and demanded that Ghattas retract his statement.
MK Eitan Broshi (Zionist Union) added that, “the words that Ghattas wrote on his Facebook page about Peres who is fighting for his life, are horrible and embarrassing. They are truly embarrassing for the Arab public that Ghattas is supposedly representing. He is truly hindering the efforts for coexistence between Jews and Arabs. ”