By Aryeh Savir

Tazpit News Agency

JERUSALEM – Upon the news of the death of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon the Arab world expressed glee, as he is perceived by them as the great Israeli butcher of the Arabs. Palestinian Media Watch exposed that Sharon was also attacked and scorned by Arab members of Knesset, who joined the Arab world in their verbal assaults on Sharon after his death.

The Israeli Arab party Hadash, on their official Arabic Facebook page, announced that “war criminal and former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is dead”. Elsewhere on its Facebook page the party referred to Sharon as a “murderer.” The party also posted a cartoon of Sharon walking down to Hell, dragging iron balls behind him that are chained to his feet and labeled “Deir Yassin,” “Qibya,” “Sabra,” and “Shatila.”

Israeli Arab Member of Knesset Jamal Zahalka, of the Balad party, posted on his Facebook page the demand to “Put war criminal Sharon on trial, even if he is dead!”

He accused Sharon of having committed “crimes against humanity,” and suggested “showcase trials in absentia” for Sharon . “Sharon’s death, eight years after he was clinically dead, is an opportunity to emphasize that we must prosecute and bring war criminals to trial in international courts. If this is not possible, as in Sharon’s case, we must conduct a showcase trial with them in absentia, in which detailed charges of their crimes against humanity will be presented. This [should be done] to expose Zionism’s shame and its crimes. Sharon was one of the conspicuous figures who committed and represented them… Sharon is dead, but the criminal policy he adopted still exists. Moreover, it is Israel’s official and operative policy”, he wrote in Arabic.