Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – Photo: Dudi Vaaknin

During the plenum debate, Arab MK Jamal Zahalka (National Democratic Assembly) said that the bill was irrelevant because it referred to “occupied territory, and as such, what applies is international law; the referendum should apply to the nations of the world.”

Zahalka was subsequently heckled by Habayit Hayehudi lawmakers, who said, “You are the foreigners in this land,” to which Zahalka responded, “We were here before you and we will be here after you.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seen in the video immediately raising his hand to be allowed a response from the Knesset podium.

“I did not plan to speak but I heard what MK Zahalka had to say. You said ‘We were here before you and we’ll be here after you’re gone.’ The first part is not true and the second part will never take place,” the prime minister said, slamming his hand on the podium and leaving.

Netanyahu’s comments were met with applause from much of the Knesset, even though Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein asked MKs to refrain from clapping.

Zahalka later clarified that his attack on Habayit Hayehudi MKs was directed “against racists, not Jews.”

MK Jamal Zahalka – Photo: Uri Lenz

On Thursday, the Prime Minister’s Office released the video of Netanyahu’s comments, as well as tweeting them, under the heading: “The conflict twitterized.”

Speaking at the U.N. General Assembly in 2012, Netanyahu said: “The Jewish people have lived in the land of Israel for thousands of years. Even after most of our people were exiled from it, Jews continued to live in the land of Israel throughout the ages. The masses of our people never gave up the dreamed of returning to our ancient homeland. Defying the laws of history, we did just that. We ingathered the exiles, restored our independence and rebuilt our national life. The Jewish people have come home.

“We will never be uprooted again.”

View original Israel Hayom publication at: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=11099