Coalition chairman MK David Bitan (Likud) said Friday that he had called on the authorities to examine the legal possibility of stripping B’Tselem chief Hagai El-Ad of his citizenship as punishment for his recent remarks against Israel at a UN session.
Speaking on Israel’s Channel 2 Bitan stated that El-Ad’s recent speech at a Security Council meeting in which he called for working to end the occupation in the West Bank was a “blatant breach of trust by an Israeli citizen to the state and as such he should find another nationality.”
Bitan added that he had asked interior minister Aryeh Deri to look into the possibility of revoking El-Ad’s citizenship stressing that he was determined to take action even if there were legal impediments preventing that.
Responding to Bitan’s comments B’Tselem said “For almost 50 years the Palestinians have had no nationality and no rights. Now the chairman of the coalition the emissary of the prime minister wants to revoke the citizenship of those who speak out against this reality.”
“These threats will not deter B’Tselem and the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who oppose the occupation” the human rights group underscored.
Bitan’s remarks were blasted by Meretz chairwoman MK Zehava Galon. “These calls are dangerous. In a democratic country citizenship is a basic right. It is not a gift granted to those who are favorable in the eyes of the chairman of the coalition.”
During the UN Security Council meeting that was held on October 14 the B’Tselem head called on the international community to take action after 50 years of Israeli occupation in Palestine. El-Ad said that the Israeli government had used the peace process to play for time to take over more areas of the West Bank and build more settlements.
“After so many years one has to draw certain conclusions…Israel will not cease being an oppressor simply by waking up one morning and realizing the brutality of its policies” he told the Security Council. “So far the world refuses to take effective action… We need your help. The rights of the Palestinians must be realized; the occupation must end the UN Security Council must act; the time is now.”
Following his speech El-Ad was severely attacked by Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu who called B’Tselem a “fleeting and bizarre” group. “What these organizations cannot achieve through democratic elections in Israel they try to achieve by international coercion” he said.
Netanyahu also threatened to take measures against B’Tselem.
The US administration recently criticized Netanyahu’s remarks and said it values the information published by B’Tselem about the situation in the West Bank.
“I am not going to comment on everything that has been said” State Department spokesman John Kirby said. “In general we believe that a free and unfettered civil society is a critical component of democracy. As we have said many times we believe it is important that governments protect the freedoms of expression and create an atmosphere where all voices can be heard.”
