On Friday, MK Aida Touma-Suleiman (Joint Arab List) posted on her Facebook page an image of crowded people being sprayed at a checkpoint, with the message: “Yet another occupation atrocity under the guise of the coronavirus – the IDF sprays Palestinians at the Qalqilya checkpoint with an unknown substance. It is commonly agreed that spraying is not an effective tool in the fight against the virus. We must not ignore the atrocities being carried out under the cover of the crisis.”
To which Defense Minister Naftali Bennett responded fiercely: “MK Aida Touma-Suleiman, you are a liar, an anti-Semite and a scoundrel. These are not IDF forces. It is the Palestinian Authority that has decided to disinfect the checkpoint. I won’t let you libel our IDF soldiers. The days when you lied and we kept silent are over.”
The Yamina chairman also noted it was unbelievable that the Blue&White “cockpit” and Liberman were ready to establish a government based on her vote.
Bennett enclosed pictures of PA officials disinfecting the Qalqilya checkpoint facility.
אנשי הרש״פ מבצעים זאת. pic.twitter.com/iUupwDAyiI
— Naftali Bennett בנט (@naftalibennett)
MK Touma-Suleiman admitted begrudgingly that she had been “misled” and “this time” absolved the “occupation” of responsibility. She did not apologize. Instead, she tweeted in response to Bennett: “At least I have the courage and integrity to admit mistakes. You continue to lie unabashedly even when the real truth is clear.”
A scoundrel, indeed.