Israeli media sources said a Jewish hardliner with Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party threw a drink at Zoabi and verbally assaulted her, after interrupting a Ramat Gan event that was meant to encourage women in politics.

According to initial accounts obtained by the Times of Israel, the hardliner assaulted Zoabi after an audience member stood up and unfurled a pro-Palestinian scarf.

Zoabi, who is running with the Arab Joint List party, is a frequent target of right-wing attacks because of her pro-Palestinian views and recurrent criticism of the Israeli army for its atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank.

Recently, Yisrael Beytenu and other far-right parties appealed to the Knesset’s Election Committee to ban Zoabi from running to parliamentary elections set for March 17 and succeeded, but a Supreme Court decision overruled that judgment.

M.N/M.H