Former MK Juma Azbarga, who serves as head of the Negev Bedouin Higher Steering Committee and a member of the Balad party's political bureau, was summoned Tuesday night for questioning on suspicion of inciting against the government and the country at recent protests in the Negev.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Azbarga served in the Knesset from 2017-2019 as part of the Joint Arab List faction and is a member of the Southern Branch of the Islamic Movement, along with Ra'am leader MK Mansour Abbas.
Azbarga was questioned for four hours about remarks he made at Negev demonstrations that took place near Land Day, which this year fell on March 30.
Once the questioning was over, Azbarga called it "Nothing more than a failed attempt to scare us and deter us from continuing our just, legitimate struggle to defend our lands in the Negev, which the government has been trying to Judaize and confiscate through [its] institutions for decades."
According to Azbarga, "This questioning was parts of attempts to scare us with the goal of keeping up the right-wing fight by the settlers and the prime minister who represents them to Judaize the Negev and the rest of the country.
"The recent campaign of arrests and questioning of leaders and patriotic youth is an old, stupid way they believe will get us to forgo our struggle, and we say that this political persecution will only make us more stalwart and powerful," he said.
"Our battle to defend our land and our rights to the Negev is just," Azbarga said.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
