Lieberman: Palestinian MK more Dangerous than Hamas, Hizbullah

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Palestinian MK Ahmad At-Tibi [MaanImages

Bethlehem – Ma’an Exclusive – Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s tirade against Knesset Member Ahmad At-Tibi (United Arab List) was designed to deflect attention from his own corruption allegations, the Palestinian-Israeli lawmaker told Ma’an on Wednesday.

“I don’t take interest in lectures from criminals,” At-Tibi said in an on-air interview at Ma’an’s Bethlehem headquarters. “There’s no doubt Lieberman is totally against me and many other Arab lawmakers, but I’m not going retract my statements.”

“I support the establishment of a Palestinian state, empty of settlements,” he added, echoing his Tuesday remarks at the sixth Fatah conference in Bethlehem, where he suggested settlers such as the Foreign minister should “get off Palestinian lands, get out of our souls, get out!”

The next day Lieberman charged that At-Tibi was “more dangerous than both Hamas and Islamic Jihad combined.” “Our real problem is not with Abu Mazen [President Mahmoud Abbas], but rather with Ahmad [At-]Tibi and others like him,” the foreign minister added.

But At-Tibi insisted that Lieberman’s attacks were an effort to “deflect attention toward something else [besides his impending indictments]. The war against us [Palestinian members of the Knesset] is an effort to cover up his legal issues, and we are not afraid of him.”

The foreign minister will soon face charges on a number of allegations, including bribery, fraud, money laundering and obstruction of justice, according to Israeli news reports. A police source was quoted as saying that their investigation was “practically over” by Sunday. Lieberman has denied the allegations.

At-Tibi also said several Israeli lawmakers had called for their government to take a number of steps against him, including arrest or removal as deputy speaker. “My rank is the result of an election, and the Israelis should thank me for accepting this position.”

But according to Lieberman, Israel’s “main problem isn’t the Palestinians [in the occupied territories] but Ahmed [At-]Tibi and others like him – they’re more dangerous than both Hamas and Islamic Jihad combined.”

It was not the foreign minister’s first attack on Palestinian Knesset members. In November 2006, Lieberman called for Palestinian lawmakers to be tried for treason. In March 2008, he warned that “a new administration will be established and we will take care of you.”

Meanwhile on Wednesday, Knesset Member Ofir Akunis (Likud) requested that Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin (Likud) dismiss At-Tibi from his position as deputy Knesset speaker due to what Akunis called At-Tibi’s anti-Jewish stance on illegal settlements.

Rivlin responded that it was not his job to censor other MKs, but that he agreed with Akunis’ allegations.

Even more forceful were right-wing Knesset members like Yisrael Katz (Likud) and West Bank settler Michael Ben Ari (Ichud Leumi), who called on the Israeli government to suspend At-Tibi’s salary. According to MK Yuli-Yoel Edelstein (Likud), “At-Tibi is a terrorist wearing a political mask.”

Speaking with Israel Radio on Wednesday Katz, who earlier called Fatah’s then-draft platform a declaration of war, said, “The testimony of At-Tibi proves we have to impose the Jewish state on At-Tibi and his colleagues – before we impose it on the Fatah movement.”

Source: Maan News Agency

August 5, 2009 - Posted by Elias NEWS & POLITICS Ahmad At-Tibi, Arab lawmakers, Avigdor Lieberman, Corruption allegations, Fatah conference, Hamas, Israel, Knesset, Maan News agency, Palestinian State, Palestinian-Israeli lawmaker No Comments Yet