A letter accuses Israeli MP Amit Halevi of “dehumanizing statements” towards Palestinians and urges European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to stop him from attending an upcoming convention.
Thirty-six MEPs opposed internet hosting an Israeli colleague.
Amit Halevi of Likud, the identical celebration as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was invited by Dutch MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group to take part in a convention on the Iranian regime.
The occasion, organized by the Israel Alliance Foundation in collaboration with the ECR Group, shall be held on Wednesday at 1.30 pm native time on the European Parliament in Brussels.
However, a letter signed by 36 MPs, obtained by Euronews, urges European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to ban Halevi from attending.
The letter was initiated by Dutch Greens/EFA MEP Tineke Strik, in collaboration with Slovenian socialist MEP Matjaž Nemec and Irish Renew Europe MEP Barry Andrews. Signatories embody members of the Socialists and Democrats, Greens/EFA, Renew Europe and The Left teams.
Supporters argue that Amit Halevi’s participation in an occasion on the European Parliament would violate key ideas, together with selflessness, integrity, openness, diligence, honesty, duty and respect for the dignity and popularity of the establishment.
The objection stems from “extraordinarily troubling, dehumanizing and even genocidal statements” Halevi has made in current months. The letter highlights a lot of his controversial remarks from the previous yr.
In an interview, Halevi claimed“In Al-Shifa hospital, they captured 150 terrorists and killed them. At the identical time, 300 terrorists have been born within the maternity ward”, implying that kids born in Al-Shifa would inevitably grow to be terrorists.
In the identical interview, he defended that “There is nothing known as Palestinian individuals, there by no means has been and there by no means shall be.” and that “From the river to the ocean, nationwide rights belong to 1 individuals, the nation of Israel.”
In a put up on Facebook, reported by the native newspaper Arutz Shevahe said that every one Palestinian individuals belong to 2 classes. “There are Palestinians who assist the Nazi training of Hamas and Palestinians who act as human shields for them. We can and should bomb each.”
The letter additionally recollects that Halevi has introduced legislative proposals to the Israeli Knesset to annex and resettle Gaza, expelling its civilian inhabitants. “If every nation welcomed 5,000-6,000 households, a lot of the drawback can be solved,” he mentioned. he said in line with Israeli Radio103.
The signatories of the letter urged President Metsola to “defend the dignity and popularity of this home” by stopping Halevi from collaborating within the roundtable.
“The president can all the time restrict entry to Parliament to people by denying them accreditation,” MEP Nemec informed Euronews.
“We additionally contacted the organizer however didn’t obtain any concrete response relating to the potential change of the contributors of the occasion.”
However, MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen, organizer of the convention, defends Halevi’s participation and mentioned he “seems to be ahead to assembly him on the convention tomorrow, with different friends”, in a written response to Euronews.
ANNOUNCEMENTRuissen’s workplace additionally claims that one of many quotes attributed to Halevi in the letter was misquoted and that he by no means supported the killing of kids.
EP President Roberta Metsola has not but commented on the letter.
