The Election Committee ruled yesterday that Arab MK Ahmed Tibi, who has long served as an advisor to Yasser Arafat, may not run for Knesset. Tibi said that he would appeal the decision to the special Supreme Court body assigned to be the final arbiter on these matters.
Samples of Tibi's remarks in the past:
* In July 2001, he told a Jordanian newspaper that if the PA avenges the deaths of the three members of the Tamizi family, "I will not condemn it." He was referring to the roadside killing a few days beforehand outside an Arab village, although it was not clear whether the murderers were Jews or Arabs.
* In August, Tibi took part in the funeral of arch-terrorist Abu Ali Mustafa in Ramallah, killed by an Israeli missile. Tibi said that many of those leading the Palestinian violence against Israel are his personal friends.
* Last month, Tibi and MK Muhammed Barakeh met with the #2 man in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorist organization, members of which had assassinated Rehavam Ze'evi only weeks before.
* Earlier this year, Tibi had his immunity partially removed by the Knesset because of his strong praise for the Jenin terrorists and the strong fight they put up against IDF soldiers.
* In 1999, he said, "We hold that the Jewish character of the State of Israel must be annulled."
Sha'ul Mofaz and Moshe Feiglin also plan to appeal their disqualifications, while Labor plans to appeal the rejection of its request to disqualify Baruch Marzel. The Committee will decide today whether to nullify Arab MK Azmi Bishara's candidacy, based on his support for Hizbullah and other remarks of his reflecting his wish to see the end of Israel as a Jewish state.
Samples of Tibi's remarks in the past:
* In July 2001, he told a Jordanian newspaper that if the PA avenges the deaths of the three members of the Tamizi family, "I will not condemn it." He was referring to the roadside killing a few days beforehand outside an Arab village, although it was not clear whether the murderers were Jews or Arabs.
* In August, Tibi took part in the funeral of arch-terrorist Abu Ali Mustafa in Ramallah, killed by an Israeli missile. Tibi said that many of those leading the Palestinian violence against Israel are his personal friends.
* Last month, Tibi and MK Muhammed Barakeh met with the #2 man in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorist organization, members of which had assassinated Rehavam Ze'evi only weeks before.
* Earlier this year, Tibi had his immunity partially removed by the Knesset because of his strong praise for the Jenin terrorists and the strong fight they put up against IDF soldiers.
* In 1999, he said, "We hold that the Jewish character of the State of Israel must be annulled."
Sha'ul Mofaz and Moshe Feiglin also plan to appeal their disqualifications, while Labor plans to appeal the rejection of its request to disqualify Baruch Marzel. The Committee will decide today whether to nullify Arab MK Azmi Bishara's candidacy, based on his support for Hizbullah and other remarks of his reflecting his wish to see the end of Israel as a Jewish state.