MK Ariel, 'Fifth column'
Photo: Dudi Vaaknin
MK El-Sana, 'Up yours'
Photo: Gil Yochanan
MKs clash over construction freeze
When MK Talab El-Sana criticizes settlers' behavior during Finance Committee session on construction halt MK Ariel calls him 'fifth column'. In response, El-Sana says: Up yours'
The construction freeze in settlements is causing friction not only in the West Bank, but in the Knesset as well. A harsh exchange of words broke out on Monday during a special Finance Committee session on the financial costs of the freeze.
An argument broke out when United Arab List – Ta'al MK Talab El-Sana condemned the settlers behavior and said they are "occupiers, and all they do is complain and want compensation."
National Union MK Uri Ariel was enraged by El-Sana's comments and called out to him: "You are a fifth column". In response, El-Sana said, "If you don't like it – up yours. You can go abroad, and I am willing to pay for your plane ticket."
The committee's chairman, MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) tried to break up the argument, saying, "This is not a political debate."
Meretz's Chaim Oron came to Ariel's defense and told Gafni: "Can't you see that El-Sana is provoking him on purpose?"
Likud MK Miri Regev spoke in favor of paying financial compensation to anyone affected by the freeze, and was met with an unexpected attack from Kadima MK Shai Hermesh, who brought up her previous role in the IDF's Spokesperson's Unit during the Gaza pullout.
During the session, Gafni said the construction freeze critically hurt the settlers, and said they should not be neglected.
MK Oron said that if the committee were to adopt the cabinet's political decision, it would be possible to begin discussing grants for the settlers.
Hermesh said he was willing to back the cabinet's decision and the payment of compensation, if this would serve as a precedent compelling a similar move in the case of any citizen affected by the cabinet's decisions.
At the end of the session it was decided that a team should be formed to meet with representatives of the settler community and of the government offices, to formulate an agreed-upon solution to the problems caused by the freeze.
