Israel lifts immunity of Druze lawmaker after Syria visit

"I was not surprised by the decision," Naffaa said. "This is indicative of the discrimination and political persecution faced by Arab Knesset members."
Israeli prosecutors said in December they would file charges against Naffaa stemming from the visit to Syria at the head of a delegation of several hundred Druze from Israel and the Golan Heights for an annual religious pilgrimage.
Naffaa had permission for a three-day trip to Syria, but extended the stay and met with a leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and visited the offices of Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal. Meshaal was reportedly not there at the time.
Israel regards both groups as terrorist organisations.
Naffaa vowed to continue to fight the charges. "This is only the first stage of what will be a long battle," he said.
More than 18,000 Syrians -- most of them Druze, a sect of Islam -- live on the Golan Heights, which was captured by Israel from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War.
Naffaa was a vice president of the National Democratic Assembly, or Balad party, until a few days ago, when the party decided to expel him due to internal political disputes.
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