Arab Knesset Member Walid Taha (Joint List) was appointed on Thursday to head the Knesset’s Interior Committee. MKs from the Joint List like Taha are considered to be supporters of Arab terrorists and are often accused of being a third column as they often capitalize on opportunities to criticize Israel while expressing sympathy for terrorists.

MK Shlomo Karhi (Likud) noted that Thursday was also a lesser-known fast day among the Jewish people – The Fast of Gedaliah, and how this appointment is symbolic of the holiday.

The Fast of Gedaliah

The Fast of Gedaliah is a yearly fast day that was instituted by the Jewish Sages to commemorate Gedaliah Ben Achikam’s assassination, Israel’s Governor during the era of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia. Gedaliah’s death resulted in the final remnants of Judean autonomy being destroyed following the Babylonian conquest. Thousands of Jews were slaughtered, and those remaining were sent into exile.

The fast takes place on the day after Rosh Ha-Shanah and the assassination is commemorated as the catalyst for the Babylonian exile.

History repeating itself?

“The Jewish people abandoned the land (of Israel) on the same day that Gedaliah Ben Ahikam was assassinated,” Karhi said in a Knesset hearing.

“Thousands of years later, the remnants of that destruction returned, and with blood and Zionism and sweat and tears, and expelled and repossessed the land and declared the establishment of this country. Ironically on this day, we are approving as head of a committee on land ownership Walid Taha.”

Karhi then accused Taha of representing the Muslim Brotherhood and stressed how dangerous such a scenario is to put him in charge of land ownership in Israel.