PM Olmert defends Arab MKs after Avigdor Lieberman's attack

[occuserpens]

2006-05-05 Learn, learn and learn "democracy"

Haaretz. Gideon Alon, Jack Khoury, Lily Galili. PM Olmert defends Arab MKs after Avigdor Lieberman's attack

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert came to the defense of Arab Knesset members after Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman on Thursday lashed out at Israeli Arab political parties and said he hoped Arab MKs who had contact with Hamas or did not celebrate Independence Day would be executed.
During a Knesset plenum debate, Lieberman said Arab MKs who meet with Hamas leaders "are cooperating with the enemy" and must be tried.
"The Second World War ended with the Nuremberg trials and the execution of the Nazi leadership," said Lieberman, whose party failed to reach a coalition deal with the ruling Kadima party and will remain outside the government.

[regnaD kciN]

1. Why is it that every politician named Lieberman...

...is automatically an utter asshole?

:shrug:

[Englander]

2. Israeli demands execution of pro-Hamas MPs

By Donald Macintyre
Published: 05 May 2006

A right-wing Israeli party leader yesterday called for the execution of Israeli Arab politicians who had had contacts with Hamas or failed to celebrate the state's independence day, overshadowing the swearing-in of the new coalition government.

Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the mainly Russian immigrant party Yisrael Beieinu, told the Israeli parliament that Arab members who met with Hamas should be tried for "co-operating with the enemy".

Mr Lieberman, who failed to reach a deal to join the new coalition government of Ehud Olmert which was sworn in yesterday, declared: "The Second World War ended with the Nuremberg trials and the execution of the Nazi leadership. Not only them, but also those who collaborated with them. I hope that will also be the fate of the collaborators in this house."

Outraged Arab Knesset members warned that the comments of Mr Lieberman, whose party was one of the surprise successes of the March elections, securing 12 seats, would lead to violence against Arab citizens of Israel. "You are a racist," the Labour member Raleb Majadele told the Moldova-born party leader. "You do not accept the decisions of the nation. You are two-faced."

The exchanges cast a shadow over a session of the Knesset in which the new Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, sealed the formation of his Kadima-led coalition with Labour, the ultra-orthodox party Shas, and the new Pensioners' Party.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article362153.ece