Israeli fury as Arab MKs move against racist law

A proposal by Arab members of the Knesset (parliament) to challenge Israel’s racist laws in cooperation with the Palestinian Authority at the UN has angered Israeli officials, Quds Press reported on Monday.

According to Channel 2 TV, the Arab MKs and the PA ambassador to the UN are seeking a resolution against the latest Israeli law which emphasises Israel as a state only for the Jewish people. The law, they insist, establishes an “apartheid regime” in Israel.

#NationStateLaw

The MKs and ambassador have already met with UN officials. They know that Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, and his US counterpart Nikki Haley are planning to counter the Palestinian action.

Danon has apparently sent a letter to the Speaker of the Knesset, Yuli Edelstein, telling him that the Arab MKs “are seeking to undermine Israel’s reputation and causing much damage to it through lies and false propaganda.” Israel Hayom reported that Edelstein described the MKs as “conspiring” against Israel. He called upon anyone cooperating with the PA to ask themselves whether they should be in the Knesset or in the Palestinian parliament.

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Furthermore, the leader of the opposition in Israel, former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, said that she would stand against any attempt by the Arab MKs to get a UN resolution against the state. While Tourism Minister Yariv Levin described the Arab MKs as “traitors” and called for them to be prosecuted, Jewish MK Robert Ilatov described them as a “fifth column” working inside the Knesset.

The Chairman of the Knesset Internal Committee, Yoav Kish, called for the parliamentary code of conduct to be amended to include punishment for any MK who cooperates with international organisations against Israel.

Israel has passed the Nation-State Law becoming officially an Apartheid State – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]