Deputy Defense Minister Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan
Deputy Defense Minister Rabbi Eli Ben-DahanYonatan Sindel/Flash90

A ruckus broke out Wednesday in the Knesset during a speech by Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan (the Jewish Home), who was responding to an urgent query regarding the accessibility of the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hevron.

During the response, MK Dov Khenin (the Joint List) asked for permission to speak and asked, "Mr. Deputy Minister, a great injustice is going to happen in the northern Jordan Valley. There are two small Palestinian villages, Um Jamil and Ein al Hilweh, and the families in these villages have recently received an order that says that by Sunday they will demolish their homes ... These families have lived in the area for generations."

"I understand the political side, Mr. Deputy Minister. The transfer of Palestinians in the Jordan Valley is a step towards the annexation of this region, and this is a step that will prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. This is the goal, and it’s completely clear,” he added.

In response, Ben-Dahan told Khenin that he had no idea what he was talking about: "MK Khenin, I want to remind you - you sometimes establish facts in statements here that have no connection [to reality]. The aerial photographs prove that these two villages were not there a few years ago, so do not tell me that they were there for generations. It's an invention. "

Following the reply, Meretz MK Mossi Raz intervened and called the Deputy Minister a liar. A ruckus followed.

Mossi Raz (Meretz): "They came from Mars?"

Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan: "Maybe. Are we lacking such cases? You may not know the reality, MK Raz, but I will teach you what is happening in Judea and Samaria. There is a Palestinian Authority that pays people to leave villages and occupy Area C, so as to constrict the sovereignty of the State of Israel in Area C. "

Mossi Raz (Meretz): "Don’t tell me old wives tales. You are standing at the podium and lying."

Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan: "What did you say? I'm lying? Shame on you, that’s not classy."

Mossi Raz (Meretz): "They told you things."

Deputy Minister of Defense Eli Ben-Dahan: "MK Mossi Raz, you are a Knesset member, save this style for Meretz, but not here.”

צפו: הח"כ הטרי וסגן השר בעימות סוער