MK Danny Danon wants a law allowing the Knesset to expel “fifth column” members. His target: IHH flotilla participant Hanin Zoabi
By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu, INN
Likud Knesset Member Danny Danon is preparing a proposed law to allow the Knesset to expel any member who supports terrorists or acts to undermine the country.
His bill is in response to last week’s decision by Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein to close the investigation against Arab MK Hanin Zoabi, who participated in the May 2009 flotilla sponsored by the Turkish terror-linked IHH organization.
Dozens of IHH members on the Mavi Marmara boat brutally clubbed, shot, knifed and kidnapped Israeli navy commandos, who had warned the boat to change its course from Hamas-controlled Gaza. The commandos eventually were able to overtake their attackers, nine of whom were killed in the clash. Zoabi was on board but was not in the group of attackers. She was not injured.
Zoabi belongs in jail and not in the Knesset, MK Danon stated. “She used her parliamentary immunity to support the terrorist attempt to kill Israeli army soldiers,” said Danon. He noted that the Knesset already has suffered from anti-Israeli MKs, such as Azmi Bishara, who fled the country after being indicted for aiding Hizbullah in the Second Lebanon War in 2006.
Weinstein said he closed the case because of lack of evidence and witnesses and due to “significant evidence-based and legal difficulties.”
MK Danon’s bill would condition a move to expel a Knesset Member on 30 MKs supporting such a move, which would be discussed by the Knesset Committee. If the panel were to approve the motion, it would need a two-thirds majority – 80 votes – in the Knesset to expel any legislator whose objectives or actions are against the State of Israel or negates it as being a Jewish and democratic country.
“This is a bill that would protect democracy from those who use it undermine the country from within,” MK Danon explained. “Zoabi is a fifth column in the Knesset and her place is next to Abu Mazen [Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas] and the terrorists he embraces.”
It’ll be declared unconstitutional by Israel’s leftist Supreme Court.
I commend Danny Dannon for his intiative though.
In times of war, and Israel has been warred upon for 60 plus years, it is the usual practice to execute traitors.
They would be getting of much too easily merely being expelled.
Without siding as to the whole operation, and HOW it was carried out, here are the legal facts:
One of the legal terms for treason is: “Treason – a crime that undermines the offender’s government actions at time of war…”
If Zoubi’s actions are not treason, then, I don’t understand what treason is. Those who tell you, “We are not at war” are plain idiots.
The Israeli law does NOT protect any citizen, and MK’s included against an act of treason.
“Zoabi was on board but was not in the group of attackers.” What an ignorant and stupid conclusion. EVERYBODY, on board was a part of the “group of attacker” including the captain who legaly is reponsible for all that happens on board. The only one who may legaly escape this definition, will be those press members carrying valid credentials.
“She was not injured” You goofed up badly, guys…
Ira.
The new legislation to bar Mrs. Zoabi from the Knesset is sensible.
Confronted with tyrannies, democratic regimes based solely on legalistic criteria of “voter representation” are doomed to fail.
This was the case of Weimar Germany, where Hitler was elected through correct procedures and then once established, he turned around and destroyed the system that had allowed his rise to power. This has happened again and again with communist regimes. Once totalitarian functionaries are in power, they will turn around and destroy the democratic system they had (mis)used to attain their position.
Again and again, the point must be made that the formal legal mechanism of voting is just one of the features characterizing a democracy.
Other, no less critical parameters are freedom of speech, and personal inalienable human rights such as the rights of minorities, or the right to practice your religion freely. Zoabi and her ilk are unlikely to allow such rights. Nowhere in the Arab world are personal freedoms protected. The ambition of Azmi Bishara is to destroy the Jewish state and establish an Arab fascist entity in its place.
It follows that a democratic system cannot be sustained by legalistic criteria alone. As opposed and in addition to legalistic and formal criteria, such as voter representation, or parliamentary immunity, a democracy must ensure a range of material criteria such as commitment to human rights, protection of minorities, civilized order.
Members of Knesset implied in aiding hostile organizations such as Hizbullah in Lebanon or allying with Hamas in Gaza, are clearly posing a threat to Israel. These people must be stripped of political powers.
Parties cannot be allowed to “cherry pick” certain features of democracy like parliamentary immunity while using their power to undermine essential human rights. It is exactly for this reason that Nazi parties for example are outlawed in Germany.
Democracy in Israel will be strengthened when elements that insist on Israel’s demise are thrown out.
Danny Danon’s proposed law is sensible and in keeping with laws in other democracies which bar legislators who ally themselves with the country’s enemies. Danon does not go far enough, however. There should be a law that enables a Knesset committee to carry out an investigation or to order the Attorney General to proceed with an investigation or to call one off. While there must be a separation of the legislative and the judicial branches of government and while the judiciary must be independent and impartial, in critical matters, an elected legislature must be able to over-ride its rulings. This is particularly the case in Israel where to all appearances to those of us in the Diaspora, the judiciary and its prosecutorial arm is politicised and acts in support of its elitist political agenda.