Chairwoman of the Knesset Interior Committee Miri Regev on Monday, 25 Sivan refused MK Dr. Ahmed Tibi to show a video of force feeding a prisoner in America’s Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. This followed a recent committee majority to instruct physicians to administer sedatives to administrative prisoners suspected of involvement in terrorism who are hunger striking to permit force feeding them.

After being refused, Tibi took his case to Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein as well as the Knesset legal advisor. He calls on them to intervene to permit airing the video in committee session. Tibi feels the video is an eye opener and it is likely to change the minds of supporters of the new directive to force feed prisoners.

Finance Minister Yair Lapid become involved, protesting that it appears the committee was trying to bulldoze the regulation along while banning legitimate debate and opposition to the directive. He warned that since this is the case, he and his colleagues will vote against it in Knesset, making certain to torpedo it. Regev decided to hold off on a vote and the committee will address the matter once again next week.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)