Knesset Speaker Ruevin Rivlin told Israeli radio this morning that the Knesset Ethics Committee should discuss the racist statements made by MK Yehiel Hazan, who, on the Knesset floor, described Arabs as “worms.”

MK Yehiel Hazan (Likud), head of the settler lobby in the Knesset, exchanged unpleasantries with Arab MKs who attended the session.

Commenting on Hazan's statements, MK Ahmad Tibi said, “He's a stupid racist. The attack on him is an attempt at self-purification on the part of a society in which racism has been a dominant trend for some time.” Tibi added, “Hazan is not an exceptional case. His friends are the direct product of a racist theory that has been adopted by successive Israeli leaders, including Raful [Rafael Eitan], Ovadia Yosef, Ehud Barak, and others.”

Reader responses to the article

How did a fool like Hazan get elected to the Knesset?—Rami.

Important, important

Finally a courageous MK who unhesitatingly says what everyone thinks—A man for the hero.

Unfortunately, Tibi is right. Who hasn't heard soccer fans chanting when a black player enters the soccer field? Who hasn't read racist statements against immigrants from Eastern Europe , claiming that they're all drug addicts and whores? Who hasn't heard other statements by MKs and ministers about the Arabs (worms, cockroaches, calling for communities for Jews only, etc.). Racism has become a dominant trend among us, and it is encouraged by statements made by ministers, MKs, and other leaders. The judiciary does not try the racists, which only shores up racism. Hazan should be tried. We all heard his words. His place is prison. There is no need for a reprimand or a fine: he should go to jail—Dan.

Tibi told the exact truth. There are a bunch of racists and racism here—Haytham.

Israeli is a racist state towards its own citizens and Palestinians—Sagi.

This is the same garbage who should have been taken to court on charges of fraud when he voted twice in the Knesset! But his garbage friends on the committee refused to make the recommendation to the Attorney General, and they would not lift his immunity so that he could be tried in a court like any other person. These are your representatives, people of Israel !—We're going from bad to worse.

Actually, his conduct is racist and should be condemned, but Tibi isn't innocent either—Tibi isn't innocent.

MK Hazan: turn in your resignation. There is no place in the Knesset for racists like you—Dov, Kiryat Gat.

Send the racists to prison! It's time to put everyone who makes racist statements into prison—Adolf.