Ahmed Tibi
Ahmed TibiFlash 90

MK Ahmed Tibi (Joint List) spoke on Radio 103FM on Monday and explained his reasons for objecting to the extension of the lockdown.

"In today's discussion in the Constitution Committee on regulations and the government's decision to extend the lockdown, I raised the cries of thousands of Israeli citizens who are abroad and very much want to return to Israel. For some reason they are stuck, no one is discussing their requests. Citizens cannot be left outside the country, even the legal adviser of the committee said it is a fundamental right, every citizen is allowed to return. They can be put in isolation, but people are still prevented from entering," he said.

On the conduct of the government during these difficult days of the crisis, Tibi said, "This is one big mess. The leaders of the world are calling Bibi and asking him ‘how did you manage to mess everything up?’"

On the predominantly Arab Joint List’s failure to gain momentum in polls, he said, "The Joint List also suffers from illnesses. The situation is not good, but all is not yet lost. Ta’al and I are not giving up, we will continue to try until the last minute but this is not headed in a good direction. In the meantime, Ra’am is not part of the Joint List. The Likud and the Prime Minister are the ones who are the happiest about the Arab public losing seats. While they do want votes from the sector, if they do not get them, they will try to put the Arab sector to sleep and lower the voting rate or make sure that at least one party not pass the electoral threshold - that is a net gain for the right-wing bloc. Everything must be done to prevent this from happening."

Asked about the decision of Avi Nissenkorn to step down from politics, Tibi replied, “Nissenkorn is a loss to Israeli politics. He is a conscientious politician who fulfilled his role as a minister in the best possible way, I regret his decision. It turns out that his choice was not the best political choice in retrospect."

At the conclusion of the interview, he said, "Everything must be done, in the Joint List, in Arab society and in the center-left bloc, to ensure that votes are not lost. Sometimes it does not happen and it is a pity."