In its sitting on Monday, the Knesset Plenum voted down the House Committee’s proposal to terminate the term of office of MK Ayman Odeh (Hadash-Ta’al), in accordance with Section 42a(c) of Basic Law: The Knesset. In the vote, 73 Members of Knesset supported the proposal, versus 15 Members of Knesset who opposed it. Under the provisions of Basic Law: The Knesset, a special majority of 90 MKs was required to approve the proposal, and consequently, it was not accepted.
In the debate on the proposal, which was submitted by the House Committee following a request by MK Avichay Buaron (Likud) and additional MKs, House Committee Chair MK Ofir Katz said, “MK Ayman Odeh supports and justifies harming IDF soldiers. A person who is capable of comparing between children, women and elderly people who were kidnapped from their homes, raped and murdered, with despicable terrorist murderers—has no place in Israel’s Knesset. This person always sides with the evil of humanity. Since October 7, MK Odeh has not succeeded in stating the simple truth even once—that Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorist organizations.
“MK Odeh has never advanced anything on behalf of the Israeli Arabs. They are of no interest to him. He is only interested in siding with Israel’s enemies. He is only interested in fomenting unrest, in incitement and encouraging terrorism. He doesn’t get confused, doesn’t apologize and doesn’t regret. That is his ideology, and he is proud of it.
“When one hears his statements, his positions, his clear support for our enemies, it comes as no surprise that during an existential war he shouts in a demonstration, ‘Gaza won and Gaza will win.’ He wants Hamas to gain the upper hand. This person is an incitement machine, a factory of legitimization of terrorism. The worst thing is that there are people here who normalize this, in the name of freedom of speech.
“A person who says about Nasrallah that he is a model of sacrifice and loyalty; a person who justifies harming IDF soldiers; a person who compares between hostages and terrorists—is an enemy. People here have gone crazy to defend an enemy from within. A person who justifies murderers and terrorists cannot sit in the Knesset of the Jewish state,” said MK Katz.
Minister of National Security MK Itamar Ben Gvir (Otzma Yehudit): “If MK Ayman Odeh is so ashamed of the State of Israel and thinks that whoever serves in the Israel Police is an occupation police officer and should set down his arms, why does MK Ayman Odeh insist on being a Member of Knesset in the State of Israel? This is the State of Israel, the flag is the Israeli flag. We are proud of the IDF and the Israel Police. Whoever isn’t proud and defames the state—shouldn’t be a Member of Knesset. We need to make historic justice here. Whoever doesn’t vote in this vote will be remembered in infamy. It is also required by the laws of the Torah. Whoever is against the state, hates the Jews and is in favor of the murder of soldiers—should be tossed out of the Knesset.”
MK Mansour Abbas (Ra’am—United Arab List): “I am appealing personally to the Members of Knesset in the opposition. I know that there are Members of Knesset from Yesh Atid and the National Unity Party who intended to vote in favor in order to send a message, not because they think that MK Ayman Odeh should be removed from office. The only democratic and non-partisan answer that can be accepted is not to vote in favor of this removal from office. There are differences of opinion between the Arab parties in the Knesset, but we have reached the red line. The representation of the State of Israel’s Arab citizens cannot be harmed.”
MK Buaron, who initiated the request to terminate the term of office of MK Odeh, said, “MK Odeh doesn’t just speak, he presents a well-ordered doctrine in explicit statements supporting armed struggle against the State of Israel and its citizens. Freedom of speech stops at the point in which Israel’s security begins to be harmed. MK Odeh’s statements come from the mouth of a public leader; they are not sporadic and constitute a critical mass. If we don’t remove MK Ayman Odeh, how will we look in the eyes of the bereaved families and the hostages’ families? Ayman Odeh must be removed today from Israel’s Knesset.”
MK Odeh concluded the debate on the termination of his term of office, saying, “It’s not the Arabs against the Jews and not the Jews against the Arabs. Only together will we defeat fascism and build here a future of peace and democracy. There is room for everyone, Jews and Arabs, in the circle of victory.
“I declare to you that I do not retract a single sentence, a single word, a single letter. This crisis has given rise to a huge opportunity. This is a unique opportunity that must be built up and expanded. They want to remove from office a person who believes that both nations deserve the right to self-determination. You, the extremists, choose removal from office, discrimination and silencing. We have a dream, and it is equality, partnership and peace,” said MK Odeh.
