Coalition Chairman MK (Likud) David Bitan has created a political uproar with his latest statements, exclaiming “I would rather they didn’t arrive at the polls in large numbers or simply not vote at all for that matter”. Bitan’s statements were made during a Shabbos cultural event in Mevasseret Tzion. He explained the overwhelming number of Israeli Arab vote for the Arab Bloc, which in no way represents Israeli Arab interests but is more a representative of the PA (Palestinian Authority) in Knesset.

Making things worse, he gave his support to the controversial statement made during the last Knesset elections, when Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced he hopes that “Arabs don’t come out and vote in large numbers”.

He simply stated he feels the words uttered by Mr. Netanyahu were appropriate since the Arab Bloc is not representative of interests of Israeli Arabs.

Opposition leader Yitzchak Herzog was on the line of critics condemning his statements, as as Arab MK Jamal Zahalka who stated “we vote as our right and no one is doing us a favor”, promising the Israeli Arab tzibur will come out and vote in large numbers in the next election to show their response.

Later on, Bitan spoke with Channel 10 News and explained he is not trying to prevent Israeli Arabs from voting since Israel is a democracy, adding despite the Israeli Arab turnout at the polls Likud earned 30 seats.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)