What Number Column Is That?

Today\'s Knesset session was called to a grinding halt this afternoon after Arab MK Ahmed Tibi called IDF Chief of Staff Mofaz a murderer. Speaking from the podium, Tibi, Arafat\'s long-time advisor, said, \"The Chief of Staff is a fascist, a cold-blooded child murderer, and is responsible for the murder of five citizens [the five PA para-military policemen killed in an IDF attack] yesterday.\" Several MKs reacted with rage, and thus began an exchange of curses between Jewish and Arab Knesset Members, which barely ended even when Acting Speaker Nechama Ronen had to call a break to the proceedings. When the session resumed, Ronen asked Tibi to apologize for his remarks, and when he refused, Knesset ushers removed him from the podium. As Tibi left, he said, \"You\'re not ashamed of yourselves? A four-month-old baby gets hit by a shell, and you didn\'t even blink.\"



Minister Eli Suissa of Shas later reacted, \"The Arab MKs should be banished to the Parliament in Gaza. Let\'s see if Arafat lets them talk that way... It\'s inconceivable that a Knesset Member in Israel should stand for a minute of silence in honor of Catastrophe Day. They have to decide if they are Palestinians or Israelis.\"



The campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem saw an Arab student demonstration this afternoon, organized by Islamic movements. Two Arab MKs participated; there was no violence, but the State of Israel and the Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria were the targets of vehement curses. Likud MK Gideon Ezra attempted to arrive on the scene, but had to be extricated from the mob\'s aggression by security guards. A demonstration of Jewish students was held at the same time; they held signs reading, \"Arab Students are Israel\'s Fifth Column.\"