Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin and other MKs speak out against Israeli Arab MK Ahmad Tibi following reports he traveled to New York with PA delegation • Tibi's office says he is not a member of the delegation, but is "a strong supporter of it and will express his position on every stage in New York."
Gideon Allon

MK Dr. Ahmad Tibi says he will freely express his position in New York for Palestinian bid to U.N.
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Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin on Sunday lashed out at MK Ahmad Tibi (Ra'am Ta'al) following reports that the Israeli Arab lawmaker had joined the delegation of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas traveling to the U.N. to seek recognition for an independent Palestinian state this week.

"I don't know if Tibi is a member of the Palestinian delegation, but if he is such an act has very serious implications," Rivlin said.

“Every member of the Knesset can say his position in the Knesset,” Rivlin added, “but an MK joining a process that bypasses the state of Israel is contrary to the parliamentary and democratic standards. I would like MK Tibi to clarify if there is any truth to these reports and if not, to emphatically deny them.”

A spokesperson for the lawmaker said, "Tibi is not a member of the Palestinian delegation, of course, but he is a strong supporter of the delegation and will express his position on every stage in New York."

Tibi traveled to New York at the invitation of the Palestinian American Congress, which invited him to speak at Columbia University in New York and to participate in activities related to the Palestinian statehood bid, according to Israel Radio. His spokesperson said, "He is doing so with pride and with his head held high."

Likud MK Ofir Akunis said Tibi’s trip “crossed another red line and proved that he represents only the Palestinian interest in the Knesset and not the interests of Israel's Arab citizens.” Akunis intends to file a complaint against the Arab lawmaker with the Knesset Ethics Committee.

On Sunday, Abbas departed from Jordan for New York, where he is expected to seek full membership for an independent Palestinian state from the U.N. Security Council, despite diplomatic efforts to prevent the Palestinians from bypassing negotiations with Israel and seeking unilateral recognition of statehood.

Israel Radio reported that Abbas' plane made a stop in Ireland en route to New York, and that sources said Tibi was on board the plane with the Palestinian delegation. The Palestinian news agency Ma'an also reported that Tibi was part of Abbas' entourage, which includes leading Palestinian figures and journalists.

MK Uri Ariel (National Union) called for Tibi's parliamentary immunity to be stripped, and urged police to investigate Tibi. Uriel said that Tibi "uses Israeli democracy as a means for treason," according to Israel Radio.

"Parliamentary immunity does not grant Tibi the right to carry out subversion, and freedom of speech does not give him legitimacy to join the anti-Semitic chorus calling for the establishment of a Jew-free state,” Ariel said.

“I call upon the Knesset to remove Tibi’s immunity, and call upon the police to investigate his deeds in order to put him on trial,” Ariel added.

Tibi is known for his outspoken views on Israel, and earlier this month he and other Arab lawmakers encouraged the Palestinian Authority to submit their statehood bid to the U.N.

"There is no need to head off the Palestinian move in attaining U.N. statehood recognition," Tibi told reporters at the time. "The Israeli side is extremely confused, annoyed and disturbed with the Palestinian bid."

He also criticized the U.S. for its attempts to mediate between the parties and get them to return to the negotiating table. "The current U.S. attempt is pointless and useless, aimed only at averting the Palestinian U.N. plan, where the Americans use political and ethical double standards and act under the Israeli demands," he said.

"It is unbelievable to see the U.S. and some European countries waging a campaign against the recognition of a Palestinian state which they called for in the first place," he said, adding that, "The Palestinian U.N. plan ... will prove to the entire international community that Obama is a mere tool in the hands of [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu," he said.

http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=1168

Strip Tibi's immunity and investigate him going all the way back to when he was working with Arafat to destroy Israel.

Tibi is nothing short of a traitor and should be placed on trial. It must be noted that it is too bad he would not be subject to the death penalty if convicted because that would be justice.