JERUSALEM (Israel Hayom) — Itamar Ben-Gvir, head of Israel’s far-right Otzma Yehudit Party, was forcibly removed from the Knesset plenum on Monday after locking horns with Joint Arab List Knesset member Ahmad Tibi.
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Ben-Gvir, whose faction is part of the hawkish Religious Zionist Party, was addressing the Knesset during a session on coronavirus restrictions. He began his address by acknowledging the Knesset speaker and other lawmakers, but notably snubbed Tibi, who, as deputy speaker, was filling in for Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy.
Tibi interrupted Ben-Gvir and demanded that he be addressed as “Mr. Deputy Speaker,” as is Knesset tradition, but Ben-Gvir refused, saying, “You are a terrorist, not a ‘Sir’ or a ‘Mr.’ You should be in the Syrian parliament, not here.”
“Ahmad Tibi is a terrorist who gave security guards instructions exceeding his authority. This will not be allowed to stand,” Ben-Gvir said in a statement following the incident.
“There is no clause in the Knesset bylaws that requires me to address whoever is chairing the [Knesset] session as ‘Mr.,’ certainly not if he is a terrorist who was [PLO head Yasser] Arafat’s adviser and should be in the Syrian parliament,” he said.
He further alleged that Tibi had abused his authority, saying he would demand Levy remove him as deputy Knesset speaker.
Tibi released a statement condemning Ben-Gvir’s conduct, calling it “disgusting, violent and racist behavior that must be stopped.”
The Joint List MK added that he would bring the case before the Knesset Ethics Committee once it is formed.
1 With @Ahmad_Tibi presiding, gangster legislator Ben Gvir refuses to say the customary "Mr Speaker."
2 Ben Gvir: You are not a Mr, you are a terrorist. You should be in the Syrian parliament.
3 Tibi, a veteran Knesset member, orders Ben Gvir removed. pic.twitter.com/Z4H6WsshEp— Noga Tarnopolsky (@NTarnopolsky) July 26, 2021
in this day and age speaking the truth is an act of courage
First of all, someone noted that Tibi was an advisor to arch-terrorist Arafat. Other than the latter’s death, has Tibi changed from that time? If not, then Ben-Gvir seems justified in his Syria comment above.
Also, Tarnopolsky’s translation is inaccurate, and, therefore, unfair to Mr. Ben-Gvir.
BG refused here to apply the title “adoni” to Tibi.
The Zionists don’t have an equivalent word for “sir”, in their invented language of Zionese, and “sir” is not the meaning “adoni”, even if it is used as a substitute for the same.
The accurate translation of “adoni” would be “my master”, as BG noted, not “sir”.
An Arab in the kenneset. Sick country. Satmar was right. The tziyonim are self hating pork eaters and gay lovers. Glad I live in boro park.
can you imagine if Osama Bin Laden was speaker? this guy is a arch terrorist.
Another 2 year old nutjob getting some attention….