MK Ahmad Tibi (Ta’al) stirred controversy in the Knesset after a photo emerged showing him using official Knesset utensils, which are reserved for kosher use, to eat non-kosher food during a pre-dawn Ramadan meal. In his defense, Tibi quoted the Shulchan Aruch to justify his actions.
Amid the backlash, Tibi shared a pointedly sarcastic social media post referencing halachic rulings. “When the food was cold – it does not cause the utensil to be prohibited,” he wrote. He then cited Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De’ah: “Cold – it does not cause and does not absorb.” He ended the post with the tongue-in-cheek sign-off: “Rabbis supporting Tibi.”
Speaking to journalists later, Tibi doubled down. “If they won’t bring us food for our ‘Sahur’ meal during Ramadan, we’ll bring [our own],” he said. “I don’t know of such a complaint and no one said anything to us. In any case, these Ka’ak (Arab bagels) taste better than kosher food and that’s scientifically proven. To the case in point: this Knesset is Kahanist, and most importantly, it’s not kosher.”
The photo, originally published by Matzav.com, ignited fierce responses from both lawmakers and members of the public, many of whom viewed it as a serious breach of respect for religious norms and the observance of kosher practices within the halls of government.
Betsalmo, a legal advocacy group, filed a formal complaint with the Knesset Ethics Committee, urging strong disciplinary measures against Tibi for what they described as a flagrant violation of established Knesset rules.
“This is an irresponsible and unprecedented act. We demand that the Ethics Committee take significant steps to ensure that such incidents do not repeat themselves.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

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