Last update - 00:00 11/04/2007
Balad: Return of MK Bishara's wife proves he hasn't fled Israel
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent
The wife and children of Balad MK Azmi Bishara returned Wednesday to Israel following a multiple day visit to Jordan with her husband. A spokesperson for the Balad party said her return is proof that Bishara is not planning to flee Israel or emigrate from it.
Bishara, who flew from Israel two weeks ago, left Jordan on Tuesday for a trip to Europe. Balad sources say he will visit Spain and France, where he will participate in international conferences and hold meetings.
He will then leave for a conference in Bahrain on Arab nationalism, and may also visit India, they said.
It is still unclear whether reports that Bishara will leave the Knesset are accurate.
"Bishara is continuing with his plans as usual. He is not setting his schedule according to the media. He knows when is supposed to be quiet and when he will speak. For now he is continuing with plans that were made ahead of time and he has no intention of playing into the hands of this person or another," the sources said.
Before leaving Jordan, Bishara met with Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdelelah al-Khatib. The Balad party Web site said the two spoke for an hour on regional developments.
On Tuesday, Balad continued to claim vehemently that the rumors that Bishara is planning not to return to Israel are unfounded.
The party stated that its Knesset representatives will return to their parliamentary routine on Wednesday.
The Western Galilee village of Tarshiha is following reports closely; the Bishara family is considered large and well-established in the community.
Bishara has always taken pride in his Galilee roots, despite spending most of his time in Nazareth and Jerusalem.
A cousin, Dr. Riyadh Bishara, is a Hadash member of the Ma'alot-Tarshiha city council, and despite their political differences, he has declared the family supports Azmi Bishara.
"There is no doubt Azmi is under a planned attack by the establishment and the defense sector, which has unfortunately succeeded in recruiting supporters in the Arab population."
Shas said Tuesday that it is reviewing ways to outlaw Balad. Shas had petitioned the Elections Committee to disqualify Balad before the last elections, but the High Court of Justice approved Balad's list of candidates.
Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) said Tuesday, "I am not familiar with the details of the affair, but no one has undermined the delicate Jewish-Arab relations in Israel more than Bishara, and if he were to decide to leave, it would benefit all of us."
National Religious Party leader Zevulun Orlev on Tuesday submitted a bill that would revoke the right of anyone who visited an enemy state to run for Knesset.
"Visits to enemy countries encourage terror against Israel," he said.
"The Knesset cannot be a refuge for lawmakers who seek to destroy the state from within."