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Israeli-Arab Politician Probed for Aiding the Enemy

The Israeli legal system recently lifted a gag order on the case of an Arab member of parliament who is being investigated for serious charges, ranging from money laundering to abetting the enemy during the Second Lebanon War in the summer of last year. Azmi Bishara has already been questioned twice by police. He is presently out of the country but has stated that he will return for further questioning if need be. In the meantime, Bishara handed in his resignation as a member of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) at the country?s embassy in Cairo, Israel by proxy.

It is alleged that during the Lebanon war in August 2006, Bishara passed valuable information on to the Hizbollah. This organization ? recognized as a terrorist group by the United States and Europe - initiated an unprovoked attack on Israel by kidnapping two soldiers from the Jewish state?s sovereignty. Despite a ceasefire and a United Nations International Peacekeeping Force presence in the area, Hizbollah continues to stock up on arms and has refused the International Red Cross access to the Israeli soldiers, even refusing to let anybody know whether they are dead or alive.

Azmi Bishara has been severely criticized in the past for his controversial visits to countries that support calls for Israel?s destruction, usually meeting with heads of states and other influential people. He has repeatedly spoken in support of Hizbollah militants in Lebanon. Bishara ? a Christian Arab ? heads the Balad party, which refuses to define Israel as a Jewish state.