The Knesset voted Wednesday to restrict an Arab member’s freedom of movement for three months following his alleged incitement of Palestinians to violence.
By a narrow 54-48 majority, the Israeli lawmakers partially deprived Hashem Mahmid of his parliamentary privileges for calling on Palestinians in Gaza two weeks ago to fight against Israel’s hold on the territories “using all possible means.”
The action means that Mahmid, a member of the formerly Communist Hadash party, temporarily loses his right as a Knesset member to visit most public institutions, including closed military zones in the administered territories.
The vote, which was held by secret ballot, was a blow to the government coalition, which unsuccessfully sought to ward off a majority for the motion.
Indeed, some members of the Labor and Shas parties crossed lines to vote in favor of disciplining Mahmid.
But the parliamentary loss has broader implications.
It threatens to erode the tacit support for the Labor-led coalition provided by five Arab Knesset members of the Hadash and Arab Democratic Party, whose backing has given the prime minister a more comfortable parliamentary margin by which to govern.
That support was already under strain because of Israeli Arab opposition to the Dec. 17 deportation of 415 Moslem fundamentalist activists to Lebanon.
Mahmid said Wednesday’s vote marked “a black day for the Knesset.” He said he would appeal the move to the High Court of Justice.
He spoke after a heated five-hour debate, which saw 40 Knesset members mount the rostrum.
Labor whip Avi Yehezkel blamed the parliamentary failure of the coalition on the absence of several Labor ministers during the vote.
The Meretz bloc, Labor’s left-wing coalition partner, described the vote as the biggest defeat for the government since it took office in July.
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