Pen-stabbing attempted at Israeli Knesset

A violent altercation broke out in the Israeli Knesset on Tuesday between disability rights groups, with one disabled activist attempting to stab another with a pen before being removed from a parliamentary committee meeting.

The disability rights advocates were attending a meeting of the Knesset’s Labor, Welfare and Health Committee to discuss a proposed increase in welfare benefits. Knesset security personnel were forced to break up the fight and restrain some of the activists after a disagreement over the benefits took a violent turn. One man, Arik Harari, was ejected from the session after the pen-stabbing attempt. Harari later claimed he acted in self-defense. He said he witnessed someone grabbing an activist from his group, prompting him to respond.

Disabled Israelis have been holding a months-long protest to press the government to increase their allowances to match the minimum wage. Demonstrations have included blocking highways in a bid to bring the issue to the fore.