Hadash Knesset Member Dov Khenin (Joint List) called on Israeli authorities on Thursday, January 21, to launch an investigation into the Samaria Residents Council for incitement to racism, demanding that the group’s state funding be cut off after it called for a boycott of Arab businesses in Israel. The statement came in reaction to the group’s call to shun businesses that closed their doors during last October 13’s “Day of Rage” held by Palestinian-Arabs in Israel in protest over Israeli government policies, in particular that towards the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.

The Arab market in the old city of Acre (Photo: Acre Municipality)

“A body that propagates racism and hatred and which initiates actions that constitute a violation of the law, as well engaging in dangerous incitement, continues to receive public funding, legitimacy and governmental encouragement… I call upon the authorities to open a criminal investigation into the Council and for its public funding to it be cut,” Khenin, the veteran lawmaker said in a statement.

During the “Day of Rage,” the Samaria Residents Council called on inhabitants of mixed Arab-Jewish cities such as Acre to report on businesses that participated in the strike. The council then used the information to prepare a list of businesses to boycott. At the time, Hanni Asadi, a representative of Arab business owners in Acre, said the town’s Arab business owners “honor the decision of the High Follow Up Committee, but do not decide for individual business owners whether to open or not. Each person decides as they think appropriate.” Criticizing the tactic of “naming and shaming” the businesses, Khenin said Thursday: “The Samaria Residents Council has shown that it has no qualms in taking a page out of anti-Semitic annals in Europe to ignite a fire between Jews and Arabs.”