Israel's parliament on Tuesday barred an Arab legislator from entering military zones closed to ordinary citizens because of his support for Palestinians in their struggle against Israel.
With most of its 120 members absent, the parliament voted 29-23 to strip Ahmed Tibi of his privilege as a legislator to enter zones placed off-limits by the army. He will also be barred from sensitive sites inside Israel, such as military installations, AP reported.
Tibi angered many Israelis when he described the Palestinian resistance to the Israeli army's capture of Jenin refugee camp in April as "an act of noble heroism."
Right wing Israeli politicians accused him of encouraging suicide bombings. Tibi, who was an adviser to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat before running for parliament in 1999, denied this, saying he has always opposed killing of civilians.
Tibi called parliament's decision unconstitutional and a failure of the democratic system. "My critics on the right wing are unable to confront me on the ideological level, so they resort to antidemocratic means," he told AP. Tibi said he would challenge the decision in the Israeli Supreme Court. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
