JERUSALEM, October 23, 2016 (WAFA) – Israeli government coalition’s chairman David Bitan (Likud) is considering submitting a bill that could enable removing the citizenship of Israelis who act against their country in international organizations, according to Israel Channel II.

Bitan’s effort comes in response to Hagai El-Ad, executive director of Israeli human rights group B’Tselem, testifying before the Security Council in New York earlier this month and urging the UN to take immediate action against Israel’s settlements.

B’Tselem spokesman Amit Gilutz responded that neither his organization nor hundreds of thousands of opponents of Israeli “occupation” of the West Bank would be deterred by threats.

“The Palestinians do not have citizenship or rights for nearly 50 years,” Gilutz was quoted by Jerusalem Post. “Now, the coalition chairman, who is the emissary of the prime minister, wants to remove the citizenship of those who speak against this reality”

Joint List MK Ahmad Tibi mocked Bitan on Twitter, saying: “Why stop at removing citizenship? Why not destroy the home of the B’Tselem director-general? Why not bar his entire family from entering the country, remove his land, submit them to administrative detention, and put checkpoints and closures in his neighborhood?”

M.N