Algerian MPs withdraw from international conference over ‘Israel’ participation

An Algerian parliamentary delegation has withdrawn from an international conference, citing the participation of an Israeli representative, Anadolu Agency reported.

Ammar Moussa, one of three lawmakers representing Algeria in the conference told Anadolu Agency that a teleconference meeting was organized by the International Parliamentary Network on Tuesday and Wednesday between representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean.

The discussions on the first day, as Moussa said, did not feature an Israeli representative, revolved around ways to revive economic activity, overcome the consequences of the coronavirus, and the fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

“On the second day, a change occurred in the list of participants which included a representative of Israel, Mickey Levy,” Moussa said.

He added that he informed the National People’s Assembly, the lower house of the Algerian parliament, about the change after which they were instructed not to participate.

Mickey Levy is a current member of Knesset and a former Israeli deputy minister of finance.

Moussa said that he explained to the International Parliamentary Network the reason behind the withdrawal of his delegation, which in turn “understood the situation.”

The International Parliamentary Network, according to its website, is a coalition that seeks to enhance expertise and cooperation between legislators, parliamentarians and political alliances around the world.

Last month, Amira Selim, an Algerian lawmaker, announced in a social media post that she intends to submit a bill to the President of the National Assembly seeking to criminalize “the promotion of normalization with the Zionist entity.”

Selim said that the bill aims to “prevent the promotion of normalization with the Zionist entity through mass media and social media.

“This law is based on the positions of the Algerian state that rejects normalization with the Zionist entity, especially since normalization seriously affected the issue of Western Sahara through political bargaining, with commercial justifications and suspicious deals,” she said.

On Sept. 20, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said Algeria will never be part of an agreement to normalise relations with ‘Israel’.

“The Palestinian issue is sacred for us and it is the mother of all issues and will not be resolved except by establishing a Palestinian state, with the 1967 borders, with Holy Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.

Last December, ‘Israel’ and the UAE normalized ties, a move that was followed by Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.

Palestinians condemned the normalization agreements, saying they encouraged Israel’s denial of their rights and do not serve the Palestinian cause.