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The National
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
'Regime coup': Palestinian-Israeli politician fights expulsion push
A prominent Palestinian-Israeli politician is on the brink of expulsion from parliament over comments on a hostage deal with Hamas, raising new fears about freedom of expression in wartime Israel. An Israeli parliamentary committee voted to advance the impeachment of Ayman Odeh, leader of the majority Israeli-Arab Hadash Ta'al party. He will now face a vote in front of the entire Knesset after its House Committee voted 14 to 2 to expel him on Monday. The case relates to a January social media post in which Mr Odeh wrote: 'Happy about the release of hostages and [Palestinian] prisoners. From here, both peoples need to be freed from the burden of the occupation; we were born free.' Some politicians were outraged that Mr Odeh celebrated the freeing of Palestinian prisoners and detainees as part of the deal. The process to impeach Mr Odeh began after a politician from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's Likud party filed a request. Mr Odeh said Israel's opposition 'crossed a red line' by voting against him instead of fighting Mr Netanyahu's far-right coalition. 'Some of [the opposition] hate us more than they love democracy. This is not an opposition – it's the coalition in disguise,' Mr Odeh added. During a hearing on the matter, Likud MP Osher Shekalim said Mr Odeh would 'face a firing squad in any other country'. The vote for impeachment is the latest step taken against Israelis who have advocated for Palestinians since the October 7 attacks by Hamas. This has included legal trouble for academics and journalists, punitive measures taken against left-wing politicians and heavy-handed policing of anti-war demonstrations. Although most Israelis continue to support a hostage agreement, the release of Palestinians in exchanges, many of whom are held on security charges, is deeply controversial, particularly in right-wing circles. Israeli politician Sami Abou Shehadeh slammed the impeachment decision, writing on X that 'there is a fundamental misunderstanding of the concept of freedom of expression' in Israel. 'In the current Knesset, the majority's perception of freedom of expression exists only to praise the criminal Netanyahu or to call for the expansion of the occupation, starvation, war crimes and destruction,' he added. Court chaos Mr Odeh stepped up his criticism of the Israeli political class on Tuesday, as the country was gripped by a chaotic court hearing on the appointment of a new head of the Shin Bet, Israel's internal intelligence agency. The judge overseeing the hearing was forced to halt proceedings following a number of interruptions, including some by ministers from Mr Netanyahu's party. Mr Netanyahu's attempts to appoint a new director of the agency are controversial and critics say they are being carried out improperly. The hearing relates to two petitions challenging the Israeli attorney general's intervention in the case. Mr Odeh said the scenes in the courtroom were part of the 'same fascist and anti-democratic pattern [repeating] itself'. 'Did you think the despicable impeachment process against me was isolated? This is exactly what a regime coup looks like, and this time, it's on steroids. Yesterday it was me. Today it's the court. And tomorrow?'
Arab News
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Israeli parliament committee advances expulsion of Arab Israeli parliamentarian over social media post
LONDON: An Israeli parliamentary committee has advanced a motion to expel Arab-Israeli Knesset member Ayman Odeh over a social media post in which he called for freedom for Israelis and Palestinians. Odeh, a veteran member of the Knesset and head of the Hadash-Ta'al party, faced a second hearing on Monday. In a heated session, lawmakers, including members of the opposition Yesh Atid and National Unity parties, voted 14-2 in favor of advancing impeachment proceedings. 'The opposition crossed a red line today,' Odeh said in a statement after the vote. 'Instead of fighting the Kahanist government, it collaborated with them in crushing democratic space. Some of them hate us more than they love democracy. 'This is not an opposition — it is a coalition in disguise. And this is the final signature on the Nation-State Law,' he said, referring to the 2018 legislation that officially defines Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. The motion targeted a January post in which Odeh welcomed the release of Palestinian security prisoners as part of a hostage exchange deal with Hamas. 'I'm happy to see the hostages and prisoners released,' Odeh wrote in the social media post cited in the motion filed by Likud Knesset member Avichay Boaron. 'Next we must free both peoples from the burden of the occupation. We were all born free,' the post concluded. Committee chairman Ofir Katz, a Likud member of the Knesset, said at the start of the hearing that 'Odeh has not apologized or retracted his statements, he's only doubled down, equating hostages with terrorists and making serious accusations against IDF soldiers.' The hearing unfolded in a tense atmosphere, with two Knesset members reportedly ejected after clashing with other committee members while defending Odeh, according to Israeli outlet Haaretz. Outside the Knesset, Arab and Jewish Israelis gathered in a protest in support of Odeh, calling for the expulsion process to be halted. The final decision now moves to the Knesset floor, where a two-thirds majority — 90 out of 120 lawmakers — is required to remove a sitting member. Odeh would retain the right to appeal the decision in court. Despite repeated attacks by coalition lawmakers, including accusations of being a 'terrorist' who 'would face a firing squad' elsewhere, Odeh has appealed to the opposition to block the motion and prevent what he calls an erosion of democratic norms. Knesset members Ahmad Tibi (Hadash-Ta'al) and Walid Taha (United Arab List), both members of the Joint List, called the move 'political persecution' and a dangerous precedent. 'Instead of defending freedom of expression, most opposition factions are aligning with the extremist coalition to silence Arab elected officials.'
