Jerusalem – A lawmaker from Israel’s governing Likud party has been charged with assault for allegedly attacking the mayor of his hometown in 2014, before he was elected to parliament.
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The Justice Ministry said Thursday that Orem Hazan assaulted the mayor of the West Bank settlement of Ariel over a lien placed on Hazan’s mother’s bank account for unpaid municipal taxes. Hazan dismissed the allegations as a “pure political witch hunt.”
Hazan, a rookie parliamentarian, has cultivated a reputation as a rogue politician. He snapped an unexpected selfie with President Donald Trump after he landed in Israel in May, challenged a Jordanian parliament member to a fistfight and berated a disabled opposition member.
He has also been accused of solicitation and drug use while managing a casino in Bulgaria, charges he denies.
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