Lawmaker Oren Hazan (Likud) attacked Israeli Arab news anchor Lucy Aharish over her wedding on Wednesday night to Jewish actor Tzachi Halevy, known for his role in the TV series Fauda.

The two have been together for four years, but have kept their relationship a secret from the media.

Hazan called to stop Jewish assimilation, saying: “I don’t blame Lucy Aharish for seducing a Jewish soul with the goal of harming our country and for preventing more Jewish progeny from continuing the Jewish dynasty, on the contrary she is welcome to convert,” Hazan wrote on his Twitter account.

Open gallery view Likud lawmaker Oren Hazan at party convention in Tel Aviv, Israel, March 25, 2018 Credit: \ Moti Milrod

“I do blame Tzachi 'the Islamicizing' Halevy, who took Fauda a step too far – Bro stop being delusional. Lucy, it’s not personal, but you should know Tzachi is my brother and the Jewish people are my people, stop the assimilation!” he tweeted.

The couple wed in a small private ceremony on Wednesday evening, reported the entertainment news show “Good Evening with Guy Pines” on Wednesday. The wedding was kept a secret partly out of fears of protests from both Jewish and Arab nationalists, reported Pines.

A cartoon by Avi Katz, fired by The Jerusalem Post over a caricature depicting politicians as pigs

On Thursday, Hazan followed up his tweet with another commenting on responses condemning his remarks. "Your reactions, which try to turn assimilation into the right and heroic thing to do, explain what Prime Minister Netanyahu and Zionist Union chairman [Avi] Gabbay when they said: 'The left has forgotten what it means to be Jewish.'"

Also Thursday, Interior Ministry Arye Dery said that he is "Against such things," and that "We mustn't encourage such things, despite all the love."

Open gallery view Interior Minister Arye Dery, February 2018. "It is inconceivable for a boycott activist to get an Israeli visa so that he can do whatever he can to harm the country." Credit: Ofer Vaknin

Speaking on Army Radio, Dery said "The pain of assimilation worldwide is consuming the Jewish people," claiming as an example that New York state has less Jews than it did after the Holocaust.

"I would tell Lucy I have no doubt she did not mean to harm the State of Israel. They're a couple in love and getting married, but this isn't the right thing. You'll have children, they'll have a problem in Israel because of they're status. If she [Aharish] desires Judaism, then there's the process of conversion."

In January, the Knesset Ethics Committee suspended Hazan from the Knesset and its committees for six months over a series of sexist, chauvinist and other offensive comments against his colleagues. The committee, which gave Hazan the harshest punishment it can impose, also docked his pay for a week. He was still permitted to participate in votes in the Knesset.

Hazan’s suspension followed several complaints by MKs who accused him of “offensive, inflammatory, ranting” statements, especially to female MKs and members of the Joint Arab List. It described Hazan’s behavior as bullying, rude, humiliating and sexually harassing.