National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir boots Hisham Suliman from anti-drug conference for Arab towns over 2015 comments endorsing attacks on IDF soldiers.
By World Israel News Staff
Israel’s National Security Minister dropped an Israeli-Arab actor, known from the popular Fauda series, from an anti-drug event for Arab towns.
Hisham Suliman, whose credits include the Steven Spielberg film Munich and twelve episodes of the television series Fauda, had been scheduled to join a conference in the Galilee of Israeli-Arab municipalities which was organized by the Israel National Authority for Community Safety.
On Tuesday, however, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) disinvited Suliman from the event, citing the actor’s comments in 2015, in which he justified terrorist attacks on Israeli security personnel.
The Israel National Authority for Community Safety is a part of the National Security Ministry, and thus under Ben-Gvir’s authority as minister.
During an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth eight years ago, Suliman claimed Palestinian Arabs “have the right to fight against the occupation.”
While Suliman decried attacks on Israeli civilians, he endorsed attacks on IDF soldiers and other security personnel as legitimate.
“I don’t accept their way and don’t see it as heroism, but they have the right to fight.”
“I seek peace and do not justify harming civilians. But a soldier who is in the West Bank and someone attacks him — I don’t think it is terrorism.”
“If he is in the West Bank and fights the Palestinians and abuses them, he implements the occupation. He shouldn’t be there.”
Ben-Gvir castigated Suliman for his comments, saying in a statement Tuesday that such a person will not be permitted to speak at a state-sponsored event, “not on my watch.”
“Whoever gives legitimacy to harming IDF soldiers and is not loyal to the State of Israel absolutely cannot receive payment from the State of Israel and perform at National Security Ministry events.”