Ra'am party leader Abbas to sanction one of its own Knesset members for casting doubt on Hamas atrocities
MK Khatib-Yasin refused to resign despite Abbas' demand
The leader of the Israeli-Arab Ra’am party, Mansour Abbas, plans to probe ways to sanction Knesset Member Iman Khatib-Yasin after she refused to resign, contrary to Abbas’ demand.
Abbas met with the Knesset’s legal advisor to consider other options to sanction her after the advisor told him Khatib-Yasin’s comments were not grounds for dismissal.
Khatib-Yasin was asked to resign from the political party following controversial statements she made, casting doubt on accounts of Hamas atrocities on Oct. 7.
“They didn’t slaughter babies, at least from what was in the movie, and they didn’t rape women. If that happened, it’s shameful,” she told the Knesset channel on Sunday in reference to a video that showed Hamas atrocities.
The film footage had been presented to Israeli Knesset members last week, however, Khatib-Yasin was not at the screening herself.
She said she had heard the facts “firsthand,” adding: “What happened is inhumane and against Islam, but you can’t ignore everything that happened before and after.”
“I and the other members of the party strongly condemned from the first moment the shocking massacre in the south,” Ra’am party chairman Mansour Abbas said.
“There is and will not be a place in our ranks for any party that denies or downplays the seriousness of acts that are contrary to our values and the Islamic religion,” he said in reference to Hamas terror attacks of Oct. 7.
Meanwhile, the Israel's government coalition is also considering its options to remove Khatib-Yasin from the Knesset.
In a letter sent to Knesset members from all factions, MK Osher Shekalim of the Likud party called to join a collection of signatures to activate the “Oren Hazan” clause, which requires 70 signatures to begin the process of removing a Knesset member from his or her position.
After the necessary number of signatures is reached, a vote in the Knesset committee will require a majority of 75% votes in favor before a final vote in the Knesset plenum, which also requires a majority of 75%, i.e. 90 Knesset members.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
