Balad party defends Qatar visit

Hanin Zoabi, Jamal Zahalka and Basel Ghattas visited Doha and, according to conflicting reports, possibly met with former party member and suspected Hezbollah spy Azmi Bashara.

Members of the Arab Balad party say they acted within the law in visiting Qatar.

“The trip was legal, and all complaints to the attorney general to open an investigation are a cheap trick by right-wing ministers and Knesset members to make headlines,” the party says in a statement, according to Walla news.

Zahalka adds: “We don’t view Qatar and its citizens as enemies, but as our brothers, and it’s natural to be in contact with them. Our political actions are not designed to curry favor with [Foreign Minister Avigdor] Liberman, [Transportation Minister Yisrael] Katz, [MK Miri] Regev… and other fascists and warmongers, but rather to represent the public that elected us and the principles of equality, freedom, and peace upon which we were elected to the Knesset.”

Meanwhile, Liberman strongly condemns the visit. The meeting proves they have no place in the Knesset, he says. While Israel combats Hamas in its Gaza campaign, the Balad party members show support for Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal, he charges.

Liberman pledges to do his utmost to ensure that the Balad party is disqualified in the next elections, and calls on the attorney general to investigate the source of funding for their trip, and whether the three violated any laws by going to Qatar.