Former Minister of Culture MK Miri Regev (Likud) on Wednesday lashed out at the former deputy head of the Mossad, MK Ram Ben Barak (Yesh Atid), and claimed that he "hates Israel."
The confrontation took place during a discussion on the "Cultural Loyalty" bill submitted by Regev, which seeks to ensure that the state does not fund cultural venues and the production of anti-Israel films. This bill did not pass in the 20th Knesset, when Regev served as Minister of Culture and Sports.
Ben Barak, currently chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, served in Sayeret Matkal and held a number of command positions in the IDF and the Mossad. In his last position, he was the deputy head of the Mossad.
"You have no shame, you have no boundaries," Ben Barak responded to Regev. "Now it's no longer political; Now it's personal."
MK Merav Ben Ari (Yesh Atid) said that the "Cultural Loyalty" law is unnecessary because "the law already allows the Minister of Finance to cancel funding for pro-terrorist cultural venues."
MK Vladimir Beliak (Yash Atid) reminded Regev, "Ram Ben Barak has contributed to the security of the country for over 40 years. A fighter, an Israeli patriot, an exemplary public figure, an honest and pleasant man. I am proud to be his partner and friend. We will not allow a bunch of rude thugs from the Likud to discredit him."