Netanyahu ‘invites’ Israeli-Arabs to leave Israel

JERUSALEM: Premier Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday publicly challenged Israeli Arabs protesting against a deadly police shooting in one of their villages to go and live in the West Bank and Gaza. Ahmed Tibi, a prominent Arab legislator, said the comments showed the Likud leader had “gone off the rails.” Rock-throwing protests have erupted in several Arab communities in Israel since police on Saturday shot dead an Arab man who attacked their vehicle. Police are investigating allegations he was killed after walking away from the officers. “To all those who are demonstrating and shouting their denunciation of Israel and support of a Palestinian state, I can say one simple thing: you are invited to move there — to the Palestinian Authority or to Gaza,” Netanyahu said. “I can promise you the State of Israel will not put any obstacles in your way,” he said. Tibi accused Netanyahu, who has publicly pledged to explore the possibility of revoking the citizenship of Israelis who “call for Israel’s destruction,” of pandering to far-right potential challengers in Likud. “These kinds of things have never been said by any prime minister — not by (Menachem) Begin, nor by (Yitzhak) Shamir,” Tibi said. REUTERS