There is no doubt that Balad MK Hanin Zoabi, whom several political parties are trying to bar from being elected to the next Knesset, deserves to be ostracized. She poisons political wells. She inserts herself into forbidden places; she flaunts her presence at illegal activities such as the 2010 Mavi Marmara flotilla to the Gaza Strip; and she makes slanderous speeches. Anyone who follows what she says in the Knesset and outside it will never find a scrap of good intention to calm the waters. She is a political pyromaniac. And not by chance. She is the student and heir of former Balad Chairman MK Azmi Bishara, who fled the country after being accused of spying for Hezbollah in the 2006 Second Lebanon War, and will be tried if he is ever caught. Nevertheless, I seriously doubt that it is right to expel Zoabi from the Knesset without an indictment, without her having been caught giving information to the enemy, without her having committed any crime other than her remarks. First of all, removing her from the Knesset will bolster her prestige and provide fodder for those who claim that Israel is a democracy for Jews only. There are enough evil and naive people in the world who would see a move like this as proof of Zoabi's own incitement. When David Ben-Gurion was prime minister, Mossad head Isser Harel asked Menachem Begin for permission to take action against Uri Avneri, editor of the Haolam Hazeh newspaper, who was suspected of illicit ties with Arab officials. Ben-Gurion realized that such an unusual step would require a consensus. He wanted the support of the head of the opposition. But Begin refused. He told Harel he would not lend his hand to a judgment by the regime. Because this is how, exactly how, democracies lose their way. This is the first step. Public sentiment (and Begin's voters) went with Ben-Gurion and Harel. Years later, Begin's wisdom became apparent. I am not writing this because Zoabi is a member of the Balad party. Back in the day, I had reservations about removing right-wing extremist Meir Kahane from the Knesset. Steps like these are right and justified, but never remain isolated cases. Other people will always be found who can be expelled without a trial. Fundamentally, it is better for our home-grown enemies to find a place at home than be banished.