Israel: MP has to apologise for saying government unable to carry out military ops

A member of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, has been told to apologise by Minister of Communications Yoaz Hendel for saying that the Israeli government is unable to carry out any widespread military operations, Kan Radio has reported.

Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi MK, of Meretz, said that her party is able to prevent the Israeli government from carrying out such operations. “When the government takes a military decision, the coalition will be in danger,” she explained. “This was agreed upon in the coalition agreement.”

If Netanyahu was still prime minister, she added, the government’s response [to firing of rockets from Lebanon] would have been stronger. “This is my explanation. [Prime Minister Naftali] Bennett has to understand that he is closer to the left.”

Responding to Rinawi Zoabi, Hendel said that she should apologise for her remarks. “It is not every MK in the government who takes part in deciding the policy of the government,” he pointed out. “We will respond strongly regardless to the political consequences even if they led to dissolution of the government.”

The chairman of Meretz is Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz. In response to Rinawi’s rebuke, he told Army Radio: “It is not correct to speak this way. Discussions in the government take part in a cooperative manner. We do not issue ultimatums. Last week’s response was strong after unjustified missiles launched towards Israel.”

READ: Jewish MK calls Arab colleague a ‘terrorist’ in the Knesset