Arab MK Hanin Zoabi is back in the news, this time for attending an anti-Israel conference in New York City. The MK, who took part in the Marvi Mamara flotilla to break the Israel marine blockage of Gaza, who insists that Hamas is not a terrorist organization and often condemns the IDF, attended the “Israel, Racism & Apartheid – An Inside Look with Hanin Zoabi” Conference hosted in Columbia University. She was a member of the panel discussion.

According to the Walla News report, this time around Zoabi did request permission, which she received, but she did not detail her agenda or the details of the conference to the Knesset Ethics Committee. Her trip abroad and expenses were picked up by the Harvard College Palestine Solidarity Committee and the Palestinian American Community Center.

The committee may not disapprove of a trip because of the organizations funding the MK but it can deny the request if it determines participation would represent a conflict of interest for a Member of Knesset. In this case, since the 20th Knesset’s Ethics Committee hasn’t been formed, Knesset Counsel Eyal Yinon made the decision and is addressing requests to travel from all MKs until the committee is up and running.

Reports from the conference confirm Zoabi did not hesitate with her criticism against Israel, referring to Israel as a Zionist racist project, not as a national entity”.

Officials in her office are quoted telling Walla that she did not furnish details for this trip and does not plan doing so in the future for MK Zoabi does not view the Knesset Ethics Committee as an authorized political censure.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)