Political parliament violence – Israel and Taiwan compared

Today’s headlines in the Israeli newspapers are detailing the incident of a lawyer by the name Amnon De Hartog (אמנון דה-הרטוך) who slapped an ultra-orthodox parliament member Yakov Cohen (יעקב כהן) on the face. Here’s from Haaretz :

De Hartog struck MK Yakov Cohen after the lawmaker told him he was “more evil and terrible than the Nazis” for opposing budgets for ultra-Orthodox schools during a Knesset hearing.

De Hartog also spoke to Israel Radio Wednesday, and said he apologized for the assault, but blamed his harsh response on the fact his parents were Holocaust refugees. [...]

“[MK Cohen} said this to a man, part of whose family perished in Aushwitz and whose father suffered the horrors of the Holocaust for four consecutive years," De Hartog told Israel Radio. "This is what a member of the Knesset - and a rabbi - said to a Jew." [...]

This morning Arie Golan of the Reshet Bet morning radio show interviewed one of the Israeli parliament members – MK Moshe Gafni and asked him about the slapping. The MK responded with a horrified “Have we turned Taiwanese?”.

Someone has actually e-mailed me and asked me what the MK meant. Well, there were a few Taiwanese legislature brawls that I can remember, but the one that resembles this the most was this next one:

But that was a while ago and not that famous, maybe he was actually referring to something a bit more recent (BBC) from May 2007:

Legislators in Taiwan threw punches, sprayed water and wrestled violently, in a row over an electoral reform bill.

The brawl broke out when more than 24 members of parliament from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) stormed the Speaker’s podium.

They were trying to stop the Speaker addressing the bill, and accuse the opposition of delaying the 2007 budget.

Taiwan’s parliament, which is split between two major political factions, often descends into physical violence.

(I love the news display in Taiwan with the headlines running all over the screen)

Passionate stuff. So yes, MK Gafni’s statement – although not very tactful – isn’t totally off.