The Knesset, by a wide majority of 61-30, voted today to strip Arab MK Azmi Bishara of his parliamentary immunity. On July 1, 2001, the Israel police recommended filing criminal charges against Bishara for statements he made at a Syrian state ceremony calling upon leaders of Arab nations to increase their resistance against Israel and expressing support for Hizbullah. The MK\'s anti-Israel oration was delivered in front of hundreds of Syrian officials. Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein will now prepare indictments against Bishara on charges related to those remarks, and for helping 19 groups of Israeli-Arabs to travel to Syria.
The Knesset also approved a first reading of a law outlawing one who has expressed support for a terrorist organization from being elected to the Knesset. Only 5 Labor MKs voted in favor of the bill, which was sponsored by Likud MK Yisrael Katz. \"Arab MKs have now been put on notice,\" said Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit, \"that if they support Gaza terrorism, then they should go to Gaza. They can\'t sit in the Israeli Knesset and continue to support terrorism…\" He likened remarks like those of MK Bishara to a United States Senator calling on Bin-Laden to increase his attacks against America. Katz told Arutz-7 today that the bill may be \"late in coming, but not too late.\"
Another Arab MK, Taleb A-Sana said he would petition the Supreme Court against the decision. A-Sana himself is under police investigation on suspicion of expressing support for a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv that occurred in August. At the time, an Arab began shooting from an automatic weapon at passersby outside the Tel Aviv officers of Israel\'s Defense Ministry. Eight soldiers were wounded in the attack, and MK A-Sana later told Abu Dhabi television that \"this was an act of special quality, since it was not directed against civilians - it was aimed against soldiers in the heart of the state of Israel. Israelis must understand that if there is no security for Palestinians, there can be no security for them either ... there are no feelings of guilt in this instance, and we are not going to indulge in special pleading and apologies.\" A-Sana did not show up yesterday for a scheduled questioning session with the police.
The Knesset also approved a first reading of a law outlawing one who has expressed support for a terrorist organization from being elected to the Knesset. Only 5 Labor MKs voted in favor of the bill, which was sponsored by Likud MK Yisrael Katz. \"Arab MKs have now been put on notice,\" said Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit, \"that if they support Gaza terrorism, then they should go to Gaza. They can\'t sit in the Israeli Knesset and continue to support terrorism…\" He likened remarks like those of MK Bishara to a United States Senator calling on Bin-Laden to increase his attacks against America. Katz told Arutz-7 today that the bill may be \"late in coming, but not too late.\"
Another Arab MK, Taleb A-Sana said he would petition the Supreme Court against the decision. A-Sana himself is under police investigation on suspicion of expressing support for a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv that occurred in August. At the time, an Arab began shooting from an automatic weapon at passersby outside the Tel Aviv officers of Israel\'s Defense Ministry. Eight soldiers were wounded in the attack, and MK A-Sana later told Abu Dhabi television that \"this was an act of special quality, since it was not directed against civilians - it was aimed against soldiers in the heart of the state of Israel. Israelis must understand that if there is no security for Palestinians, there can be no security for them either ... there are no feelings of guilt in this instance, and we are not going to indulge in special pleading and apologies.\" A-Sana did not show up yesterday for a scheduled questioning session with the police.