During the interview with MK Ahmed Tibi, his mobile telephone rang. Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign minister, was on the line. Tibi spent a great deal of effort in trying to persuade him not to meet, a short while later, with MK Avigdor Lieberman.

"He is anti-Arab. He is a dangerous politician. You must not meet him, certainly not before he has been officially appointed as a cabinet minister," he almost begged.

Solana ignored Tibi's request, and a few minutes later met the minister-to-be from Yisrael Beiteinu at the Knesset.

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Ahmed Tibi, 48, of the Ra'am-Ta'al party, was Yasser Arafat's close adviser for six years and is deputy speaker of the present Knesset. Even his most virulent political opponents admit that he conducts Knesset sessions fearlessly and with charm. He is the only Arab MK who has so far managed to legislate four new laws in one Knesset ("civil laws that do not pertain especially to the Arab population") and two weeks ago he won the title of the best Arab MK in a survey conducted by the Arabic-language publication Panorama. He is very proud of this.

Deep disappointment with Peretz

Avigdor Lieberman's appointment is expected to be brought today before the Knesset for approval. What do you feel about the appointment?

"In other places in the world, a man like this would be ostracized. Here Ehud Olmert makes him deputy premier. This is a statement by Israeli society that's a slap in the face to the Israeli Arabs. This is the man who called for transferring the Arabs and who said the Arab MKs should be shot. He is the Israeli equivalent of [Austria's Joerg] Haider or [France's Jean-Marie] Le Pen."

Will the appointment of Amir Peretz as head of the Arab Affairs Committee improve the government's treatment of the Arab sector?

"This appointment is an insult to the intelligence of all of us. I'm very disappointed with Peretz. I used to have respect for his views about Jewish-Arab relations and about social issues but since he took over the Defense Ministry, the situation of the Palestinians has worsened even in comparison to Shaul Mofaz's tenure, and he was a terrible defense minister toward the Arabs. Under Peretz, there are more assassinations and more Palestinians have been killed than in any other period."

You were a close adviser of Yasser Arafat for six years. Why have you not managed to create a similar relationship of trust and friendship with Abu Mazen?

"Abu Mazen is my friend but I had a different relationship with Arafat; it was warmer and I respected him like a father. I admit I miss him on the personal and the national levels. Even when you disagreed with him, you could feel his charisma and his authentic passion for the Palestinian cause. I meet Abu Mazen often, but it's no secret that there was only one Arafat, and there will be no other."

Israeli officials say Abu Mazen is weak and cannot withstand pressures. Is this so?

"The Israelis who are interested in describing Abu Mazen as weak are the same Israelis who said at the time that Arafat was strong. When Arafat was strong, they besieged him and surrounded him in the Muqata and finally poisoned his life and didn't let him breathe. Now they suddenly miss him. Abu Mazen must achieve something for his nation but Israel is doing nothing to assist him."

Why does Abu Mazen not take steps to assure the return of abducted soldier Gilad Shalit?

He is making enormous efforts to end the affair. Since Shalit's capture, more than 450 Palestinians have been killed. Even though Israel acted brutally in response to the abduction, Abu Mazen is still trying his best."

What is holding up the release?

"There is a gap between Hamas' demands and Israel's readiness to free Palestinian prisoners. There are differences about how many prisoners will be freed, and how. Egypt is trying to bridge the gap and making enormous efforts, for which Israel should be thankful. I think the reports that a release is imminent are too optimistic."

How did you feel during the war in Lebanon?

"I opposed this war from the beginning. Before it broke out, I said the release of the soldiers could be secured through negotiations. There was no need to go to war and destroy southern Lebanon. Hezbollah said they did it in order to get a prisoner swap. The question was whether to go to war and then conduct negotiations, or to hold negotiations without a war."

With whom did you identify more - the Arabs of Haifa and Galilee who were hit by Katyushas, or the Arabs of Lebanon who were shelled by the Israel Defense Forces?

"I felt empathy for the civilians who were hurt both in Beirut and in Haifa. The government expected the Israeli Arabs to support the war and accept its positions. I don't have to adopt Olmert, Peretz and Halutz's march of folly, and I fulfilled my duty of opposition to the war as a citizen and MK. I was opposed to the government and its policies, but not against the state."

Did you identify with Sheikh Nassrallah and his joy when he shelled the Israeli homefront?

"In this war there were no winners, only losers. From the military point of view, even many in Israel believe the Israel Defense Forces lost, because it is a loss if Hezbollah was not defeated. From the moral point of view, the IDF was stained, and the hatred grew between Israel and the Arab and Islamic world. The gap was widened even more."

But the war broke out because of a hostile act by Hezbollah, which killed three soldiers and abducted two others from Israeli soil without provocation.

"Israel penetrates Lebanon's air and sea space all the time. I oppose violations on the part of both sides, but should the Israeli response have been all-out war that was decided on at such record speed?" Do you think Israel should have shown restraint when its soldiers were abducted?

"Israel went to war to return the IDF's lost pride and deterrent power after Gilad Shalit was captured. In the end, the aims were not achieved and the deterrent power of the IDF was destroyed. In order to regain its deterrence, the IDF is now hitting the weakest link, the Palestinians in Gaza."

But reports say huge quantities of arms are being smuggled into Gaza in preparation for a Hezbollah-like attack against Israel.

"The Israeli reports are based on military leaks about an underground city in Gaza and anti-tank weapons, but this is disinformation aimed at preparing the ground for the IDF to enter Gaza. Clearly there are more weapons now in Gaza that were smuggled in, but these are light weapons. This does not justify occupying the area again."

How should Israel relate to the outstretched hand of Syrian President Bashar Assad?

"Israel has no right to ignore Assad's calls for peace, and it is not wise. The worst historical mistake was turning down the Saudi initiative for a summit in Beirut. Syria is an important regional player, and there'll be no regional peace without it."

How can Israel believe Assad, when he is sending arms to Hezbollah at the same time?

"Only at the negotiating table is it possible to examine if intentions are sincere, but Olmert turned down his initiative because he doesn't want to pay the price for peace - a full withdrawal from the Golan Heights - and because he listens to [President George] Bush's stupid advice not to make peace with Syria. In the Lebanon war, Israel was also the broker of American geopolitical considerations. For this, Israeli soldiers died."

A state of all its nationalities

What do you think of the threats of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad to wipe Israel off the map?

"I am opposed to his statement. I am even more opposed to his Holocaust denial. I don't understand his need and his obsession in repeating these things. There is no reason to deny the Holocaust, which was the worst crime in human history. One must concentrate on preventing modern crimes and learn the lessons of the Holocaust. Attempting to deny the Holocaust is problematic from a moral point of view."

Do you think his threats of destruction are serious?

"I think these harsh words express a viewpoint. I oppose them as a citizen, a human being and a politician."

Do you think the United Nations and the Security Council can prevent him from carrying out his nuclear program?

"The world has a double standard about nuclear weapons. The entire Middle East should be denuclearized. Israel's hands are not clean when it complains about others' nuclear weapons. It is Israel's nuclear weapons that caused the production of weapons of mass destruction I don't want Iran, or Pakistan, or Israel, or any other country in the region to have weapons."

The attorney general ordered a police investigation of you and other MKs who went to Syria and Lebanon in contravention of the law. Why do you ignore the law?

"True, there is a law against going to Syria or Lebanon but the substantive immunity of an MK gives him the right to go, in my opinion. The courts have not yet examined the issue... Right now, I have some additional invitations that I've not yet taken up for visits to Syria and Lebanon. I'll decide when to go."

Do you support MK Azmi Bishara's proposed legislation that Israel should be a state of all its citizens, and not a Jewish and democratic state?

"A state of all its citizens is not the correct definition of the reality of the majority and minority in Israel but refers to the rights of the individuals alone. The correct definition, in my opinion, is a state of all its nationalities, in the sense that the Arab public must be recognized as a national public."

Do you feel like an MK with equal rights in the Knesset?

"According to the regulations, we are equal. In practice, the attitude is not equal. Sometimes the votes in the Knesset are about the MK, and not about the issue. For example, at the time when MK Sofa Landver of Yisrael Beiteinu presented a draft law for establishing a hospital in Ashdod, we supported it and it was passed by a large majority. A short while later, I presented a similar draft law with only one correction - I asked that a hospital be set up in Sakhnin or Taibeh. My proposal was defeated by a vast majority. That event shows a great deal about the Knesset and the politicians, and particularly about Israeli society."

Do you believe this Knesset is racist?

"In this Knesset and the previous one, it is possible to pass any anti-Arab proposal, even if it has a clause that speaks of the sun rising in the West. The Knesset is one of the places with the most racist remarks."

Are there Jewish MKs with whom you have succeeded in forming relations of friendship and closeness despite the differences of political opinions between you?

"I believe that personal ties can be normal even when there are political differences of opinion. Sometimes I drink coffee in the cafeteria with people who do not share my views, including Knesset members from the right, but of course there are also MKs whom I do not greet, such as Lieberman."

Are there no moments when you say to yourself, 'I've had enough, it's too much and I want to go back to working as a gynecologist at Hadassah Hospital'?

"One of the most beautiful moments in one's life is when you bring into this world a new baby, especially with couples who had problems of conceiving. Sometimes I feel bored in the Knesset and then I start thinking about medicine or other subjects that it would be worthwhile dealing with, outside the Knesset. It is possible that the moment when I reach the conclusion that I have had enough is getting closer now."