Preparations are underway in the Knesset for the speech of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zalansky, which will be broadcast tonight (Sunday) at 6:00 PM in a zoom conversation with Knesset members and live on Israeli television channels.
The most distant spectator in the speech will be MK Nira Shefek (Yesh Atid) who is participating in a parliamentary delegation of the Knesset on the island of Bali, Indonesia. MK Shefek arrived there as part of a Knesset delegation together with MK Avi Dichter (Likud) and she announced that she intends to watch Zalanski’s speech tonight, via a link that the Knesset sent to MKs and ministers.
She said that at a conference of the International Inter-Parliamentary Union in which she participates, the current situation in Ukraine also came up: “The Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament shared a snapshot and a Ukrainian Member of Parliament told her personal story and the humanitarian crisis the Ukrainian people are suffering from.” “The State of Israel and the Knesset in this forum, as one of the countries that immediately rallied for humanitarian aid to Ukraine,” said MK Shefek.
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On the other hand, MK Ofer Kasif (Hadash), who is in Israel, announced that he would not watch President Zalanski’s speech tonight for ideological reasons. In a tweet posted on Twitter tonight, MK Kasif explained: “I will not attend a conference in support of Zalansky. “It does not take sides in unnecessary wars that harm innocent civilians, strengthen those in power and enrich the lords of war.”
I will not attend a conference in support of Bezlanski tomorrow. Does not take sides in unnecessary wars that harm innocent civilians, strengthen those in power and enrich the lords of war.
I do not support the nationalists and persecutors of the communists in Ukraine, and no, I also do not support Putin and the Russian nationalists who hate the communists.
Not for war – yes for peace.– Ofer Cassif Ofer Kassif (@ofercass) March 19, 2022
“I do not support the nationalists and persecutors of the communists in Ukraine, and no, I also do not support Putin and the Russian nationalists who hate the communists. Not for war – yes for peace,” Kasif wrote. “I’m sorry, I can not present a simplistic picture in which there are sons of light and sons of darkness just because it is easy and popular. The situation is more complex: Putin is scum, but Zlansky is no better. Who expressed bewilderment at the tweet.
“It is very sad that good leftists are being deceived after false propaganda and more expect my friends and I to align with the lies that feed us. Do you know what has been happening in Ukraine for years to the Russians in Donbas and the Communists? .
His faction and Hadash member, MK Aida Toma Suleiman, will not watch the zoom either. The office of the chairman of Balad and the chairman of the joint list faction, MK Sami Abu Shehadeh, stated that he too will not watch the speech, because he is on a lecture tour abroad.
The director general of our movement, Yaya Fink, said: “The decision of the members of the joint list to boycott Zalansky’s speech to the Knesset members is a shame and a sign of Cain on the foreheads of its members. I call on Ofer Kasif and my members To stand by the Ukrainians these days. “
Ofer Kasif (Photo: Danny Shem Tov, Knesset Spokeswoman)As stated, Zalanski’s speech will be delivered tonight to Knesset members in Zum at 6:00 p.m. The Knesset has set up a special technological system to assist in the technical side of delivering the speech to Knesset members. Knesset Speaker Miki Levy, who will deliver several opening and concluding remarks at the beginning and end of the speech, will watch a speech from a Knesset committee room over a large screen. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will watch the speech in their offices.
Zalansky will speak Ukrainian and insert a few words in Hebrew. The speech will be translated through simultaneous translation and will be broadcast live on the Knesset channel and on the main television channels. At the same time, the speech will be broadcast live in Habima Square over a huge screen during a rally in support of Ukraine that will begin at 5:30 p.m. The rally will be addressed by Tel Aviv-Yafo Mayor Ron Huldai, Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel and a representative of pro-Ukraine Israelis.