Haneen Zoabi
By Jack Khoury and Jonathan Lis, Haaretz – 26 Apr 2011
www.haaretz.com/news/national/high-court-knesset-must-explain-why-arab-mk-zuabi-stripped-of-rights-1.358255
In the wake of her participation in last year’s Gaza flotilla, Zuabi was stripped of three key privileges as an MK; Zuabi in turn petitioned the High Court to get her privileges reinstated
The High Court ruled on Tuesday that the Knesset must explain why they stripped the rights of Israeli Arab lawmaker Hanin Zuabi, which occurred after she participated in last year’s flotilla to Gaza.
In their ruling, the court gave the Knesset 30 days to submit an explanation.
In the wake of Zuabi’s participation in the flotilla, the Knesset voted to revoke three of her key privileges as Knesset member: her diplomatic passport, entitlement to financial assistance for legal assistance and the right to visit countries with which Israel does not have diplomatic ties.
Zuabi in turn petitioned the High Court of Justice in order to have her privileges returned.
In the petition, Zuabi claims the aim of stripping her rights was to limit MKs’ “political activities, especially those of minority representatives.” The petition also accuses the Knesset of overstepping their authority.
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