Arab MK Ghattas suspended from Knesset for six months

The Knesset Ethics Committee yesterday suspended Member of the Knesset Basil Ghattas of the Joint List from all Knesset activities for six months.

The decision was approved by the committee three against one.

Israeli police arrested Ghattas two weeks ago on suspicion of smuggling mobile phones, SIM cards and documents to prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Ghattas described the Ethic Committee’s decision “political revenge” and said he would consider petitioning the High Court of Justice against it.

“The Ethics Committee named itself judge and gave a ruling before the claims against me were clarified, so it is clear to all that this decision was not appropriate,” Ghattas said.

He added that the committee “did not take such decisions against Jewish Knesset members before the investigations end.”