Arab Israelis reject Netanyahu apology for insult
Arab Israelis have dismissed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s apology over his pejorative remarks during last week's parliament election, which drew strong condemnation from Palestinians as well as the United States.
On Monday, the Joint List, which is a political alliance of four Arab-dominated parties in the Knesset (Israeli parliament), stated that the apology was not accepted.
"This is not a real apology," Ayman Odeh, the head of the alliance, told Israel’s channel 2 television network.
"He incited against citizens who were exercising their basic right to vote for Knesset," Odeh noted.
Odeh also accused Netanyahu of "zigzagging" by saying one thing one day and a different another.
US President Barack Obama's chief of staff, Denis McDonough, also rejected Netanyahu's attempt to distance himself from his remarks.
"We cannot simply pretend that these comments were never made," McDonough said.
On March 17, election day, Netanyahu posted a Facebook message saying, "Right-wing rule is in danger. Arab voters are going to the polls in droves."
He added, "Left-wing organizations are bringing them in buses."
Netanyahu on Monday offered apology for the comment.
Israel’s main opposition, the Zionist Union, said Netanyahu's statement amounted to racism. "No other Western leader would dare utter such a racist remark," tweeted Zionist Union member Shelly Yachimovich.
She added, "Imagine a warning that starts, 'Our rule is in danger, black voters are streaming in quantity to the polling stations.'"
Netanyahu’s ruling right-wing Likud party won 30 of the 120 parliament seats in March legislative elections while the opposition Zionist Union gained 24. The Joint List earned 13 seats to make it the third-largest party in the Knesset.
MP/NN/HMV
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