Appeal to Knesset Ethics Committee against MK Almog Cohen

Published: FEBRUARY 23, 2023 04:17

Updated: FEBRUARY 23, 2023 08:13

Otzma Yehudit party member Almog Cohen during a an election campaign conference in Ramat Gan, September 4, 2022. (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90) — Otzma Yehudit party member Almog Cohen during a an election campaign conference in Ramat Gan, September 4, 2022.

(photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)

The Movement for the Quality of Government protested Cohen's remarks made against fellow MKs in the Knesset plenum.

The Movement for the Quality of Government appealed to the Ethics Committee of the Knesset on Tuesday to summon Otzma Yehudit MK Almog Cohen regarding his behavior on the night of the vote on the first reading of the judicial reform bill.

During the voting, Cohen published a live broadcast from the Knesset plenum over social media, in which he called insulting remarks toward members of the Knesset from the opposition.

Cohen's remarks

"He dishonored the dignity of the legislative process in the Knesset and violated the rules of ethics instructing members of the Knesset to behave in an appropriate way and to serve as a personal example of appropriate behavior," the organization stated. It further called Cohen's statements "harsh, serious and inappropriate."

Cohen yelled "shut up" at MK Ofer Kasif in Arabic and made sounds used for herding sheep. Cohen told the members of the Knesset sitting next to him, including Shas chairman Aryeh Deri: "You see, you speak to them in their language, they understand you. Like a lamb, that's how you should talk to them. Friends, I don't tell him to be quiet in Hebrew because he doesn't understand Hebrew."

Cohen then filmed Hadash-Ta'al MK Ahmad Tibi, saying "Ahmad Tibi is live," and referring to the fact that Tibi is a doctor, added "I wouldn't even let him take care of my dog."

Committee chairman Merav Ben Ari leads Internal security committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem on June 13, 2022. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

In his broadcast, Cohen was further heard saying that Yesh Atid MK Merav Ben Ari has "the voice of someone who is cleaning with a sponge."

גזענות פר אקסלנס. מדהים שהאיש הזה ח"כ pic.twitter.com/dQi4XuvpzI
— yoav dekel (@YoYoavdekel) February 21, 2023

Ben Ari reacted to the incident and said "Almog Cohen sent me a message and I didn't answer him. It's not enough! You don't act like that, neither towards me nor to the Arab Knesset members with whom I have endless arguments. They and you are elected officials, instead of taking the power given to you by the public, everything you do, certainly in the last month, is to behave in a way that is beyond any criticism."

At the end of her speech MK Ben Ari added: "You can keep the apology to yourself because I really don't forgive you. You shouldn't act like that."

Walla News contributed to this story.