Last update - 00:00 30/10/2006
Labor's Arab MKs irate over party's stance on gov't with Lieberman
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent
Labor's two Arab Knesset members, Raleb Majadele and Nadia Hilou, were deeply disappointed by Labor's Central Committee vote on Sunday to support Avigdor Lieberman and his party's joining the coalition.
"I am deeply disappointed. All the ministers' explanations in favor of Lieberman's joining are not convincing," Hilou said.
"But our struggle is not over, it's just beginning. I was elected by both Jews and Arabs and I won't let Lieberman damage my work," she said.
Labor's Arab MKs have come under fire recently from the Arab parties for not protesting strongly enough against adding Lieberman to the coalition. On Saturday, the Arab Higher Monitoring Committee called on them to resign, in view of their party's tendency to support a coalition with Lieberman.
On Sunday, after the Central Committee rejected the Arab MKs request to object to Lieberman's entering the coalition, Majadele said he would continue chairing the Knesset's Interior Committee despite the pressures.
"We respect the democratic decision. We have no choice but to continue the Jewish-Arab partnership in the party, despite these obstacles," he said.Majadele expressed hope that the expanded coalition would act to help the poorer communities in Israel and said Israel has to advance the peace process.
Not all of Labor's Arab members objected to Yisrael Beitenu's joining the government. Arab Central Committee members who support Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer voted for Lieberman's joining the coalition.