Israeli President Reuven Rivlin prevented an Arab Member of the Knesset from attending an event organised at his house to mark coexistence between Jews and Arabs, local media reported yesterday.
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Joint List member Jamal Zahalka was refused entry to Rivin’s residence because he met families of Palestinian martyrs whose bodies Israel was holding.
Israeli news website Ynet News said that Zahalka requested to join the meeting two hours before it was scheduled to start but the president rejected his request.
Zahalka arrived anyway and was stopped at the entrance by security.
Other Arab MKs from the Joint List Ayman Odeh, Ahmed Tibi, Masud Ganaim cancelled their participation in the meeting in protest.
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Speaking to Arab48, Zahalka said that some time ago Rivlin invited him alongside other Joint List members and heads of local authorities to the event about the economic plan which had been recently approved by the government regarding the Arab community.
“I rejected the invitation because anti-Arab schemes were to be discussed during this event such as demolishing houses and other things,” he said.
“I became sure that such plans would not be discussed in the event; therefore, the leadership of the Joint List decided to attend in the morning,” he explained.
Zahalka dispatched his aides to Rivlin’s office to organise his attendance, but the office replied that there was not enough places.
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