Ben Ari: "This accusation is a gift for me. I come as an accuser""

January 8, 2023   

Today (Sunday) a hearing is being held at the Central District Attorney's Office for former MK Dr. Michael Ben Ari, after the attorney's office announced last August that it intends to file an indictment against the former MK, subject to a hearing. The reason? Tweets he wrote on his Twitter account and various statements against the Arab public. Ben Ari was represented at the hearing by attorneys Zion Amir and Moshe Polsky of Mehonu. Ben Ari said ahead of the hearing: "At the end of the week, the terrorist Karim Younes, who murdered soldier Avi Bromberg, was released. All the leaders of the Arab public in Israel went on a pilgrimage to him, none of them were arrested. After 4 years of persecution, my Torah lessons are being transcribed, maybe they will find something that will be considered a 'critical mass' to convict me, and all in a holy quest to 'show Ben Ari.' "The Supreme Court disqualified me from running for the Knesset because of racism in a completely false way. This indictment is a gift for me because that way I can also ask the judges questions and show them cases similar to mine of Arabs who really incite murder and racism and prove my words," he said. Ben Ari added: "This is a very serious political persecution, the left and the Reform movement are using the court to persecute me. In the years when I wrote the things on which the indictment is based, I was busy traveling around the country in which I warned about what really happened in 'Guardian of the Walls,' so what? Is it forbidden to tell the truth? This is what I was interrogated for as the last of the criminals, this is Sodom. I am going to a legal battle in which we will expose the truth about the danger of the Arab enemy who lives among us. I am not coming to the hearing as a defendant, I am coming as an accuser." Attorney Moshe Polsky, from his office: "All the proceedings that were conducted in the case of our client, Dr. Michael Ben Ari, are a stain and the mark of Cain on Israeli democracy. This is a public figure, who was a member of Knesset who warned at every gate about the threats that lie ahead. Michael Ben Ari's gloomy predictions unfortunately turned out to be correct during Operation Guardian of the Walls, when during the operation many of Israel's Arab citizens joined our enemies from the north, Hezbollah, and from the south, Hamas, and caused riots, attacked Jewish citizens, burned synagogues, burned vehicles, and laid siege to Israeli settlements, when even the IDF decided not to send military forces through Wadi Ara. "And here, instead of giving Michael Ben Ari a commendation for warning that many of Israel's Arab citizens are supporters of terror, identify with our enemies, and act as a fifth column, the State Attorney's Office is seeking to prosecute him for various statements made by him after various terrorist incidents over the past few years. "This is persecution and silencing. Instead of addressing the root of the problem that threatens the security of all citizens in the State of Israel, the State Attorney's Office seeks to 'kill the messenger' - and severely harm Ben Ari's freedom of expression, all while many Arab public figures, including members of Knesset who have often identified with despicable murderers, have not been brought to justice. "This is persecution stemming from foreign and improper motives. Our client Ben Ari is determined to fight for his innocence in court, and we, as his representatives, are full of hope that the State Attorney's Office will spare the State of Israel the disgrace of bringing a public figure to justice for his concern for Israel's security.".