Liberman slams racism of Arab parties

Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman says the Joint (Arab) List is guilty of racism even more than Prime Minister Netanyahu, whose comments on Election Day regarding the turnout among Arab voters continue to haunt him.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman arrives at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on February 9, 2014, to file a petition against the Central Election Committee's decision to bar his Yisrael Beytenu party from distributing French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. (photo credit: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90) — Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman arrives at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on February 9, 2014, to file a petition against the Central Elections Committee’s decision to bar his Yisrael Beytenu party from distributing French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. (photo credit: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

“There is a deep issue here, when there is no one to condemn the statement by the head of one of the Arab parties’ communications bureaus, who said the Islamic State was an heir of the Zionist movement,” Liberman says.

“There were also some hair-raising utterances by MK Hanin Zoabi, who defined Hamas as a liberation movement and refused to condemn the murder of the three youths [which occurred just before last summer’s war with Gaza]. No one condemned her statements,” Liberman is quoted by Ynet as saying.

Liberman says ignoring the racist comments by Arab MKs “ignores reality and legitimizes this party in Israel’s political climate.”