Israeli Arab MP justifies murder for nationalistic reasons
Arab member of Israeli Parliament justifies
murder of Israelis by terrorists:
"[The Martyrs acted] in the turmoil of the struggle
against the oppressive occupation
- they did not go to kill for criminal reasons"
b
Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
Basel Ghattas, an Arab member of the Israeli Parliament, has justified the murder of Israelis by Palestinian terrorists. Ghattas was suspended this week for four months from activities in the Israeli Parliament, following Palestinian Media Watch's exposure of his and two other Arab MPs' meeting with families of terrorist murderers. The MPs had observed a minute of silence in honor of the terrorists and referred to them by the term of highest honor in Islam, "Shahids" (Martyrs).
Now MP Ghattas has clarified his position justifying Palestinian murder of Israelis in a TV interview, saying that Palestinians who kill Israelis are neither "criminal" nor doing anything "illegal" but are acting "in the turmoil of the struggle against the oppressive occupation":
Israeli Arab MP Basel Ghattas: "The day Arab MPs abstain from visiting Martyrs' (Shahids) families who have lost their precious sons in the turmoil of the struggle against the oppressive occupation - they did not go to kill or attempt to kill for criminal reasons or illegally - the day we abstain from visiting Martyrs' families, we will have to vacate our [parliamentary] chairs and leave the keys at home."
[Hala TV, Panet website, Feb. 10 and 11, 2016]
Israeli Arab MP Ghattas' position is similar to that of the Palestinian Authority which claims that murder and terror attacks against Israeli civilians is part of a "legitimate Palestinian struggle."