Israel Matzav

Netanyahu to Arab MK: 'We were here before you and we'll be here after you'

This took place during the debate on the Referendum Law (the law to make the holding of a referendum in the event that Israel gives part of its 'sovereign' territory - but not parts of Judea and Samaria - to the Arabs), which passed its first reading in the Knesset 66-45 on Thursday morning.

Let's go to the videotape. More to follow.

During the debate, MK Motti Yogev (Bayit Yehudi) said "the Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel," and MK Jamal Zahalke (Balad) responded: "We [Arabs] were here before you and we'll be here after you."

In an unusual move, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu asked to take the podium and said to Zahalke: "The first part isn't true, and the second won't be."

...

Soon after, Netanyahu posted the exchange on Facebook and twitter, and Economy Minister Naftali Bennett wrote on Facebook that he's proud of Netanyahu.

"We were here first, because it says so in the Torah," UTJ MK Moshe Gafni pointed out, and Finance Minister Yair Lapid, who rarely agrees with Gafni on anything, shouted out "that's right."

At least they got something right in the Knesset. If you read the whole thing, you'll see how much they got wrong.

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel is a Jewish state, Israeli Knesset, referendum law

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:50 PM