Israel's Herzog lashes Arab lawmaker over pro-terrorist remarks
Aida Touma-Sliman referred to slain Lion's Den terrorists as 'martyrs'
Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Friday lashed an Arab-Israeli parliamentarian over her statements expressing support for terrorist attacks against Israel.
"You published statements to the effect that supported criminal terrorists that we and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) fight against," Herzog said to the Aida Touma-Sliman, an elected representative with the far-left Hadash-Ta'al faction.
"As you know, that was at the height of the election campaign," Herzog went on. "You supported terrorism and this is something that is unacceptable to the Israeli public."
Last month, Touma-Sliman faced a wave of criticism after referring to five slain members of a Palestinian terrorist Lion's Den group as “martyrs” and asserting that their “resistance” came as retaliation against “the occupation.”
“Today Nablus bid farewell to our martyrs,” the parliamentarian wrote on Facebook. “The Palestinian people bid farewell to their martyrs.”
“The more the occupation increases its crimes, the resistance escalates,” Touma-Sliman added. “An important lesson from the history of nations.”
Herzog made the statement during a meeting where the Hadash-Ta'al faction was offering their recommendation for prime minister.