Zoabi to S. African tribunal: Israel is an apartheid state
By LAHAV HARKOV
06/11/2011
Balad MK calls for sanctions against Israel; Kadima MK files complaint to the Knesset Ethics Committee calling to revoke Zoabi's citizenship.
As MK Hanin Zoabi (Balad) gave a lecture on "the racist political and legal regime in Israel" in South Africa on Sunday, a MK Otniel Schneller (Kadima) filed a complaint against the Balad MK to the Knesset Ethics Committee, and called to revoke her citizenship.
Zoabi addressed the Russell Tribunal on Palestine in Capetown, which is meant to support Palestinians' rights and investigate whether Israel is considered an apartheid state under international law.
RELATED:
Complaint to Knesset c'tee: Zoabi attacked usher
"Establishing this tribunal in Capetown gives it symbolic value, hinting at the attempts of the Israeli regime to make Israel the exclusive state of the Jews," Zoabi explained. "Unlike Israel, South Africa admitted that it was a racist regime, which brought a change."
The Russell Tribunal is an international, public body founded by British philosopher Bertrand Russell to investigate war crimes. The tribunal on Palestine was formed in 2009 to examine the West Bank security barrier and Operation Cast Lead, and held two meetings last year in Barcelona and London
The Capetown tribunal includes Stephane Hessel, a 94-year-old Holocaust survivor who helped draft the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and poet Alice Walker, and Irish Nobel peace laureate Mairead Maguire, among others.
The South African Zionist Federation has called the event, which is to involve prominent South Africans and already is making national headlines here, “an irrelevant talk shop.”
“Despite its name, the Russell Tribunal is not an impartial, accountable judicial body,” a vice chairman of the South African Zionist Federation, Ben Swartz, said. “Rather it is a loose association of lobbyists pushing a narrow, one-sided political agenda, in this case the delegitimization of the State of Israel.”
He called it “a pointless political smear campaign by a self-appointed group of anti-Israel activists.”
Zoabi explained that the Russell Tribunal asked the Israeli government to send representatives, but did not receive an answer.
The Balad MK told the tribunal that Israel is an apartheid state, and should face diplomatic, economic and cultural sanctions.
Schneller filed a complaint against Zoabi to the Knesset Ethics Committee, and said that "the time has come to find a way to revoke Zoabi's citizenship."
"Zoabi makes every effort to detach herself from, the state, and the government should answer her wishes," he explained. "Israeli Arabs must denounce this rotten apple that is identified with Hamas and Hezbollah."
"Anyone who supports this criminal is announcing that he wants to give up his Israeli citizenship and join Israel's enemies," Schneller added.
The Kadima MK explained in his ethics complaint that Zoabi did not request permission to leave the country, as required by Knesset regulations. In addition, he requested from the Ethics Committee to investigate the sources that funded Zoabi's trip as well as "the legal protection she has while subverting the State of Israel."
Schneller asked the Ethics Committee to "use its authority against this charging bull."
On Saturday, Zoabi and MK Jamal Zahalka (Balad) visited Istanbul, where Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called the two "heroes" and commended them for "standing strong against Israeli policies and Zoabi's praiseworthy participation in the flotilla to Gaza."
MK Anastasia Michaeli (Israel Beiteinu) called the two a "fifth column, enemies of the state acting from within."
According to Michaeli, Zahalka called for the Turks to sanction Israel, and that a democracy cannot tolerate "those who try to destroy it from within."
"I call to expel Zahalka and Zoabi [from the Knesset] and put them on trial for undermining the State of Israel," she said. "They should go to the Gazan parliament, where they belong."
Michaeli said on Sunday that she plans to ask file a complaint to the Attorney General's Office and request that Zoabi, Zahalka and MK Ahmed Tibi (UAL-Ta'al) be indicted.
The Israel Beiteinu MK also said that a Parliamentary Inquiry Committee should investigate the activities of MKs "who act against the state."
Treason, is the crime, death should be the punishment.
What more needs to be said, first the flotilla, now this action against Israel.
Enough is enough.
Treason, is the crime, death should be the punishment.
