Knesset speaker refuses to sign MK’s resignation letter written in Arabic

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein refuses to sign the resignation letter of an Arab lawmaker because it is written in Arabic.

“No one will sign a document he can’t read,” Edelstein writes on his Twitter account. “I respect the Arabic language, but this is a basic matter.”

Edelstein however goes on to sign a Hebrew version of Joint (Arab) List MK Wael Younis’ letter after it was translated by the Knesset’s translation department. The speaker’s signature is needed for the resignation to be valid.

The Knesset speaker’s signing of the translated letter comes after Younis refused to back down.

“I am determined to submit my resignation letter in Arabic and the [Knesset] speaker must accept this,” Hebrew media quoted him saying.

He also said Edelstein’s refusal reflects the downgrading of Arabic from an official language to one with “special” status under the recently passed Jewish nation-state law.

Younis is stepping down as part of rotation agreement between the parties that make up the Joint List.

ח"כ ואאל יונס מהרשימה המשותפת הגיש ליו"ר הכנסת יולי אדלשטיין מכתב התפטרות (בערבית), כחלק מהסכם הרוטציה במפלגתו. אדלשטיין סרב לקבל את התפטרותו כרגע. יונס צפוי להגיש מכתב נוסף בשפה העברית @samiaah10 @akivanovick pic.twitter.com/nnQYzfEj8D

— חדשות 13 (@newsisrael13) August 8, 2018