Extremist Arab MK Hanin Zoabi (Joint List) has been indicted on charges relating to a confrontation she had with police in her hometown of Nazareth on in July 2014.

Zoabi pleaded guilty in December to the charges of insulting public officials, as part of a plea bargain relating to comments she made during the clash, in which she calling the police officers – who were themselves Arab – “traitors.” 

She also urged Arab protesters to spit at the officers, and warned them to fear the Arab youths.

The plea bargain enabled her to avoid the far more serious charges of incitement, in return for surrendering her parliamentary immunity, admitting to the lesser charges and making a public apology. She is also expected to pay a 3,000 shekel fine.

The incident during which the offense took place occurred outside Nazareth District Court, as part of a demonstration in support of several Arab youths being tried for rioting following the murder of Arab teen Mohammed Abu Khdeir by Jewish extremists. Abu Kdeir’s killers said they acted in revenge for the murder of three Israeli teens – Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Sha’er and Naftali Frenkel – by Arab terrorists the previous month, in an attack which triggered a wave of violence.

At around 17:00, Zoabi – accompanied by relatives and attorneys of the accused – confronted two Arab police officers stationed outside the court, and began shouting in Arabic, urging bystanders to confront the officers.

Among other things, Zoabi called on bystanders to “spit in their faces – those who cooperate with the oppressors of our people …we need to wipe the floor with them! Don’t hold their hands, don’t let them live among us – they should fear us!

“When they are on the street they should fear us. They should fear from the shabab (youth) who were arrested…”