Arab MK Azmi Bishara did not respond to a police summons for questioning today regarding his speech in Syria last week in which he called on Arab nations to unite against Israel. He said last night that all he did was to \"give a political speech, which is my job as Knesset Member.\" Bishara also said that he is not an Israeli patriot, but a Palestinian patriot: \"Syria is considered an enemy of Israel. But even if you crucify me, I just cannot see Syria as my enemy.\"
The Jerusalem police have formally refused to issue a permit for a mass demonstration scheduled to have been held this evening outside Bishara\'s home in eastern Jerusalem\'s Biet Chanina. A group of Israelis filed for permission last week to rally outside his home and call upon the government to revoke Bishara\'s citizenship. However, the police informed the group\'s representative, Atty. Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, that allowing thousands of Jews to enter the Arab village could touch off a new round of Arab rioting in the city. Darshan-Leitner threatens to take the case to the Supreme Court, challenging the right of the police to refuse citizens their democratic right to demonstrate merely because of a \"fear of violence.\"
Coalition head MK Ze\'ev Boim (Likud) has asked Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein to begin the procedure of removing Bishara\'s parliamentary immunity. \"He harmed the State of Israel by his mere presence in an enemy state, and now he is attempting to strike a blow at the State\'s laws by not responding to the police summons.\"
The Jerusalem police have formally refused to issue a permit for a mass demonstration scheduled to have been held this evening outside Bishara\'s home in eastern Jerusalem\'s Biet Chanina. A group of Israelis filed for permission last week to rally outside his home and call upon the government to revoke Bishara\'s citizenship. However, the police informed the group\'s representative, Atty. Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, that allowing thousands of Jews to enter the Arab village could touch off a new round of Arab rioting in the city. Darshan-Leitner threatens to take the case to the Supreme Court, challenging the right of the police to refuse citizens their democratic right to demonstrate merely because of a \"fear of violence.\"
Coalition head MK Ze\'ev Boim (Likud) has asked Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein to begin the procedure of removing Bishara\'s parliamentary immunity. \"He harmed the State of Israel by his mere presence in an enemy state, and now he is attempting to strike a blow at the State\'s laws by not responding to the police summons.\"