Three Israeli Arab Knesset (parliament) members met Hamas
legislators Wednesday afternoon in East Jerusalem to show their
opposition to an Israeli cabinet decision to revoke four senior
Hamas officials' residency status in Jerusalem, the
Ha'aretz reported.
The three Knesset members, all from the United Arab List-Ta'al
party, met their Palestinian counterparts at the house of Hamas
lawmaker Mohammed Abu Tir, one day after Israeli cabinet made the
decision to revoke their residency following a suicide bombing
attack in Tel Aviv.
Party Chairman Talab El-Sana claimed before the meeting that the
decision of revocation was not balanced.
Some Israeli officials slammed Arab lawmakers for their show of
support to the Palestinian parliament members.
Kadima lawmaker Yoel Hasson was quoted as saying that "the Arab
MKs once again demonstrated that their loyalty lies with the
Palestinian (National) Authority and its leadership and not with
the State of Israel."
He called on the government to check if the meeting amounts to
treason, according to Yedioth Ahronoth, another popular
local daily.
Israel decided on Tuesday to revoke four senior Hamas officials'
permanent residency in Jerusalem, as part of the measures
responding to the Tel Aviv attack on Monday, which left nine people
dead and dozens wounded.
The Hamas-led Palestinian government refused to denounce
Monday's attack claimed by the Islamic Jihad (Holy War), but
defended it as an act of self-defense.
After the revocation of their residency, the four Hamas
officials would be forced to move to the West Bank. They plan to
appeal to Israeli Supreme Court against the government decision,
Palestinian Justice Minister Ahmed Khaldi said on Wednesday.
Most of the Palestinians in Jerusalem hold permanent residency
cards as they rejected Israel's offer of citizenship. The Jerusalem
residency rights have never been revoked for punitive reasons
before.
(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2006)
