Arab Pundits Celebrate ‘Expulsion’ of Israeli Delegation from Parliamentary Meeting

Inter-Parliamentary Union
AP/Arnulfo Franco
Ali Waked

TEL AVIV — Arab social media users have been celebrating what they call the “expulsion” of the Israeli delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), which was not expelled but reportedly walked out of the meeting in St. Petersburg this week as Kuwait’s representative screamed anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and told them to “get out of the hall.”

After the incident, Kuwait’s ruler, Emir Sabah al-Ahmad, sent a letter to the representative, Marzouq al-Ghanim, praising him for his stance and attack on the Israeli representatives.

“Your words drew appreciation from the representatives of our Arab sister countries and the representatives of peace-loving countries,” Kuwait’s prince said in the letter.

The Jewish News Service reported on the incident:

Following the walkout, video footage circulated on social media showing Kuwaiti National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim furiously lambasting Israeli lawmakers, calling them “child killers” and screaming at them to “get out of the hall.”

Additional video footage from the event shows Knesset member Sharren Haskel (Likud) passionately defending Israel, and refusing to stop speaking as representatives banged on their tables to silence her speech.

Al-Ghanim’s colleague in Kuwait’s parliament, Nasser al-Dweila, called for an official national welcome for Ghanim upon his return “for his expulsion of the Israeli delegation” from the parliamentary committee.

Whether or not there will be a welcoming ceremony, social media users are already celebrating the show put on by the Kuwaiti representatives.

Saudi media personality Turki al-Shalhoub wrote, “You gave gratification to the hearts of 400 million Arabs. … May Allah bless you, an honorable stance full of pride and respect at a time of surrender and defeatism!”

Hamas’ deputy politburo chief Dr. Mousa Abu Marzook praised the Kuwaiti representative and didn’t forget to criticize parliamentarians of the Fatah movement, writing, “The spirit is coming back to the Arabs with the expulsion of the Zionist delegation. Your Palestinian parliamentary colleagues locked away in the occupation’s prisons praise your words in hope that members of the legislative council will also stand by them.”

Qatari activist Ibtissam wrote, “You can be sure that right now Kuwait is expecting to absorb a double attack after Marzouq al-Ghanim’s comments. It was attacked because of Qatar and now the attack will be double after the attack on Israel!”

A Yemenite journalist chose to criticize the United Arab Emirates, accusing them of being Israel’s representative to the Arab world, writing, “Marzouq al-Ghanim attacked an Israeli representative. I expect a harsh response from the Emirates for this sharp attack. Or will they (the Emirates) take this humiliation?”

In response to reports in Arabic media that Saudi Arabia’s delegation expressed displeasure over al-Ghanim’s remarks, Palestinian journalist Jihad Heles wrote, “It looks like Marzouq al-Ghanim’s words bothered the Zionist Arabs more than they bothered the Zionist Jews!”

Sudanese intellectual Taj Alsser Osman wrote, “The noble Kuwaiti expressed the conscience of every real Arab. This is the language that Israel understands and respects, more than the language of hypocrisy. We do not underestimate the power of words during a time of criminal silence.”

A Palestinian analyst known for his Islamist leanings, Ibrahim Hamami, wrote, “Those defending justice in this time of surrender become heroes in the eyes of the nations. Marzouq al-Ghanim, through words harsher than bullets, became the topic of conversation… the compass of the people is very clear.”

Kuwaiti media personality Talal al-Kashte wrote, “The Zionists who infiltrated the borders and capitals of the Arab countries found themselves under a siege imposed upon them by Ghanim through the courage of his heart and they fled in the face of his speech.”

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