MK Oren Hazan (Likud) on Sunday criticized a bill proposed by coalition chairman MK David Bitan that would forbid Israelis from appearing before international bodies with operational powers, such as the UN Security Council.
Bitan’s proposal came in response to B’Tselem executive director Hagai El-Ad’s appearance at a UN Security Council meeting on Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, in which he spoke against Israeli “occupation” in Judea and Samaria.
"My friend Bitan is confused; we are from the Likud of the Israeli Knesset, not North Korea," said Hazan.
"MK Bitan's latest proposal to ban appearances by Israelis at the UN is undemocratic, bizarre, and apparently resulting from intoxication of power," he continued.
“Considering revocation of citizenship by a court of Israeli citizens who betray the country and violate their obligation to loyalty - yes, but forbidding Israelis from appearing at the United Nations without the approval of David Bitan - no. That’s going too far,” said Hazan.
"We do not need MK Smotrich to explain to us what is right and what is wrong,” he added, referring to Jewish Home MK Bezalel Smotrich’s objection to the idea of revoking El-Ad’s citizenship.
“The Likud, which is a nationalist liberal movement, always carries the banner of democracy and freedom of opinion. No sane MK would support such a law. Independence of thought in the Likud was always there and will continue to be. Apparently my friend MK Bitan got a little carried away with his duties as chairman of the coalition," said Hazan.
He called on the coalition chairman to retract the proposal, which “did not make the Likud and the coalition look good,” as he put it.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Simchat Torah and Shmini Atzeret in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)