Knesset Recess Begins: Zoabi, Bitan Fight Over Whose Turn To Use Swings

Zoabi argued that the institutionalized discrimination of Israeli society and political system meant she must be given first use of the swing.

Jerusalem, March 28 – Yesterday marked the first day of the Passover break in the Israeli parliament, prompting the 120 legislators to rush out to the facility’s playground, where rival lawmakers began arguing over who gets to use the equipment first.

Coalition Whip David Bitan was seen in vehement discussion with Balad MK Haneen Zoabi at the swings, with each one claiming the right to access the toy before the other. Witnesses reported that Bitan had reached the swings several steps before Zoabi, but the latter grasped the chain and would not let Bitan begin using it, contending that she should automatically get priority over him, since she suffers double discrimination as a woman and an Arab. The other swing in the set has been missing since the 2013 summer recess as a result of vandalism.

Bitan refused to relent, because, he explained, his responsibilities as Coalition Whip often prevent him from exiting to the playground, but he did finally get a chance to run out when Speaker Yuli Edelstein sounded the bell, and was not about to relinquish the swing the one time he was able to secure it for himself first.

Zoabi countered that the institutionalized discrimination of Israeli society and political system meant she must be given first use of the swing, in the interest of equality, and charged that insisting on leaving the determination of who gets to the swing first unregulated would invite further injustice.

Bitan, in rising tones, told Zoabi to wait her turn. “You want equality, start acting like an equal, and not someone who’s entitled to privileges without earning them,” he yelled. “Just because you feel like a victim doesn’t mean the rest of us have to suffer also. Take some responsibility for your situation, and accept that not every failure is someone else’s fault.”

“You’re a racist!” shouted Zoabi in return. “How dare you call Arabs lazy!” The two began to scuffle, and backers of each joined the shouting. Both continued to grasp the chain of the swing and try to jerk it out of the other’s hands, causing the swing set to wiggle in its anchor. Rhetoric grew even more heated as Bitan recalled that it was Arabs MKs who had vandalized the other swing, and it was the height of chutzpah for Zoabi to pretend Arabs are victims only.

No adults were present to break up the fracas, which soon drew all 120 MK s into it. Continued shaking of the swing detached the swing set from the ground and rendered the remaining swing unusable, causing both factions to blame the other for it.

Eventually, the Passover recess will end and the MKs will return to fighting inside the building.

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