Members of Israeli Parliament Boycott Netanyahu Speech

Members of the Joint Arab List in the Israeli Knesset staged a walkout as Prime Minister Netanyahu marched to give speech marking the start of the parliament’s winter session.
 
The lawmakers rose from their seats and left as he walked toward the dais during the opening session.
 
The Joint Arab List parliament members said the walkout was a protest to a planned boycott of them by members of Netanyahu’s ruling coalition. The ruling coalition members reportedly plan to snub the Arab lawmakers’ speeches during the first week of the parliament’s winter session.
 
The ruling coalition is angry at the Arab lawmakers over their decision to boycott the funeral of former Israeli president Shimon Peres on September 30 due to the atrocities he committed against the Palestinian people during his lifetime.
 
The Arab lawmakers say the coalition’s planned move is “anti-democratic, racist and dangerous.”
 
Joint Arab List chairman Ayman Odeh told reporters that he was not surprised by the planned move, which he said was part of the “fascist and racist policies” of the Israeli regime.
 
“Even if you leave the plenary, even if you shut your eyes really tightly, we will still be here,” he said, calling out the ruling coalition’s members.
 
The protest in the parliament highlights the division between Netanyahu’s ruling right-wing coalition and the Arab and other lawmakers that make up the opposition.