Basil Ghattas, an Arab member of the Israeli Knesset, has given up his diplomatic immunity ahead of a vote sat by the Israeli Kenesset to strip him off his diplomatic immunity.
Ghattas was accused of smuggling cell-phones to Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails.
Ghattas sent a letter to the presidency of the Israeli Knesset informing them that he has given up his diplomatic immunity at a time the General Body of the Knesset was preparing to hold a session to approve a resolution to strip the Arab MK (member of Knesset) off his diplomatic immunity.
Finally Knesset votes on Thurs to revoke Arab MK Basel Ghattas parliament immunity after he smuggled phones/documents to terrorists in jail pic.twitter.com/BdhDxqp8jc
— James Marlow ירמיהו (@James_J_Marlow) December 21, 2016
In his letter, Ghattas refused the claims that he committed a criminal or security offenses, noting that the issue of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails is a humanitarian and moral issue.
His decision to give up his diplomatic immunity came following a series of consultations with legal advisers and leaders of the national bloc, which represents Arab MKs in the Israeli parliament.
The Israeli authorities have launched a campaign against Arab MK Basil Ghattas in the city of Lod on Wednesday. Arab leaders in Israel have accused Israeli authorities of launching yet another campaign of incitement against Arab ‘political existence’ in the country.
(SAFA, PC, Social Media)
