MK Zoabi: Israeli Occupation Caused Burgas Terror Attack

Arab MK Hanin Zoabi (Balad), notorious for her attacks on the State of Israel despite her being a member of its parliament, is at it again.

Zoabi, who appeared in a public discussion forum at the Gordon College of Education in Haifa on Thursday, said that just as Israel demands to hold a minute of silence in memory of the 11 athletes who were murdered at the 1972 Munich Olympics, there should also be a minute of silence for Palestinian Authority Arabs who were killed by Israel.

“If Israel would say that it recognizes the injustice it has done to the Palestinians, then it would also make sense to demand that the world remember all sides,” she said. “But it is hypocritical to keep mentioning the victims of 40 years ago while Israel is trying to hide the [Arab] victims of recent years.”

Zoabi also charged that last week’s terror attack in Burgas, Bulgaria, in which five Israelis were killed, happened because of “the Israeli occupation.”

“Israel is not a victim and even when civilians are killed it’s the Israeli occupation policy which is to blame,” she said. “If there hadn’t been occupation, oppression and a blockade, this would not have happened.”

Zoabi accused Israel of warmongering against Syria and Iran, saying, “Israel wants to attack Iran, not because of a security or a military threat but for political reasons. To maintain its hegemony in the region. Even if Iran did not have nuclear weapons Israel would attack it.”

Asked whether she is not afraid of the Iranian nuclear threat, Zoabi replied, “I'm more afraid of the nuclear weapons that Israel has.” She claimed that there was no reason to take seriously the threats of Iranian President Ahmadinejad against Israel and called him “stupid.”

Zoabi was aboard the Mavi Marmara during the 2010 Gaza flotilla which was organized by IHH terrorists. Her fellow passengers sought to lynch Israeli naval commandos who boarded the ship in accordance with international maritime law.

It is widely believed Zoabi could not have been unaware that the attempted murder of Israeli soldiers was about to occur, but took no action to stop the attack or warn the soldiers. The soldiers, who first attempted to use less-than-lethal arms to defend themselves, were eventually forced to use live fire resulting in the deaths of nine Turkish nationals.

Last December, a photo was published which shows Zoabi rubbing elbows with well-known Hamas figures. The photo, recovered with a cache of intelligence data, shows Zoabi alongside four known Hamas members, two of whom have served time in Israeli prisons for alleged involvement in a terror organization.

Zoabi has also made veiled threats for a Third Intifada and participated in riots. Most recently, during a lecture to German students in Munich, she said Israel’s policies are “racist and fascist,” adding for good measure, “There is no true democracy and instead there is a dictatorship under the Jewish majority, which acts to expel Palestinians from their land.”

She has been criticized by many fellow MKs for her anti-Israel actions. MK Danny Danon (Likud) recently filed a request with the Central Elections Committee to disqualify Zoabi from running in the next election.

Last year, Arabs in Haifa University invited Zoabi to speak on campus for “Nakba Day”. That event was eventually cancelled by the university at the last moment.

Arutz Sheva