MEDIA ADVISORY: Tuesday 5 June 2012, 9AM - Israeli Supreme Court to Hear MK Haneen Zoabi’s Case about the Revocation of Her Parliamentary Rights

MEDIA ADVISORY - (Haifa and Tel Aviv, Israel) An expanded panel of seven Israeli Supreme Court justices will convene tomorrow, Tuesday 5 June 2012 at 9 am to hear the petition filed by Adalah and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) on behalf of Member of Knesset (MK) Haneen Zoabi (National Democratic Assembly-Balad) against the Knesset. The petition challenges the Knesset’s revocation of certain parliamentary privileges of MK Zoabi following her participation in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in 2010.

Adalah General Director, Adalah Hassan Jabareen, and ACRI Legal Advisor, Attorney Dan Yakir represent MK Zoabi. They will argue that MK Zoabi’s participation in the Freedom Flotilla constitutes legitimate political activity that falls within the scope of her parliamentary immunity. Further they will emphasize that the revocation of certain parliamentary privileges of MK Zoabi sets a dangerous precedent, which essentially allows the Israeli Jewish majority's representatives to "punish" the Arab minority’s representatives.  Moreover, they will argue that the Knesset exceeded the scope of its power in adopting this decision, which violates the principle of separation of powers.

Case Citation: HCJ 8148/10, Zoabi v. The Knesset (case pending).

Read more:

PRESS RELEASE: “Israeli Supreme Court Orders Knesset to Explain Decision Revoking Parliamentary Privileges of MK Haneen Zoabi,” 27 April 2011

PRESS RELEASE: “Supreme Court Hears Petition against Revocation of MK Haneen Zoabi's Parliamentary Privileges; Critiques AG's Failure to Attend”, 28 March 2011

Contacts:

Adalah Media Coordinator, Salah Mohsen, salah@adalah.org, 052-595-0922

Adalah Media Coordinator, Edan Ring, edan@unik.co.il, 054-668-0085