Bishara flees Israel under threat

Israeli Member of the Knesset Azmi Bishara, chairman of the largely Arab Balad party, has resigned his legislative seat and left the country. Mr. Bishara is the subject of a secret Israeli government investigation against him, believed to focus on his meetings with Syrian officials and might include "consorting with the enemy". As an Israeli Arab leader Mr. Bishara has long been vilified by right wing parties and has faced charges before. By resigning his seat in the Knesset he surrenders his immunity to prosecution.

It is hard to tell what the next step will be but it is likely that Israeli authorities will move quickly to prefer charges against him, in part to deflect attention from their own difficulties with the law, as both the Israeli President and the Finance Minister stand accused.