Members of the coalition began collecting signatures to initiate a parliamentary process to impeach MK Ayman Odeh (Hadash-Ta’al) from the Knesset on Monday after Odeh wrote on X/Twitter that he was “happy about the release of the hostages and prisoners” in the ongoing hostage deal.
Outgoing Negev and Galilee Minister MK Yitzhak Wasserlauf pledged on Sunday to initiate the proceedings, and Likud MK Avichay Boaron began actively collecting signatures on Tuesday.
Odeh’s full post on X read, “Happy about the release of the hostages and prisoners. From here, both nations must be freed from the burden of occupation. We were all born free.”
Wasserlauf wrote on X in response, “At this moment, when all of Israel as one – supporters and opponents of the deal – are crying with excitement over the return of Romi, Emily, and Doron, the terrorist supporter Ayman Odeh compares vile murderers to our kidnapped daughters. On Tuesday, upon my return to the Knesset, I will work to get the Knesset members to sign for Odeh’s dismissal. He must be expelled from the Knesset immediately!”
MK Osher Shekalim wrote that Odeh “equated victims with their attacker.”
“An MK in Israel who compares young women brutally abducted from their homes or from an innocent party to terrorists with rivers of blood on their filthy hands. Ayman Odeh is a Trojan horse exploiting our democracy to stab it in the back.”
MKs from the opposition also criticized Odeh.
Yesh Atid MK Meirav Cohen wrote, “How dare you compare hostages who were kidnapped from a party, in their pajamas from their beds, and in defense of our borders so that all of us – and you too – can live in security, to despicable terrorists, including murderers and rapists?? People like you do more harm to Arab society than anyone else.”
Yesh Atid chairman MK Yair Lapid said in response to a reporter’s question on Monday that there were three MKs he believed should not be in the Knesset – Hadash-Ta’al MKs Odeh and Ofer Cassif, and outgoing National Security Minister, Otzma Yehudit chairman MK Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Democrats chairman Yair Golan said on Monday that while he disapproved of Odeh’s comments, “MKs should not be removed so quickly from the Knesset.”
Expulsion process
Expelling an MK is a process that begins with the requirement of signatures of over 70 Knesset members, including at least 10 from the opposition. This initiates impeachment proceedings in the Knesset House Committee.
If the impeachment passes in the committee, the Knesset plenum holds a vote, and if 90 MKs support the impeachment, the MK is expelled from the Knesset. The MK may appeal the decision to the High Court of Justice.
In January, Yisrael Beytenu MK Oded Forer initiated an impeachment process against Hadash-Ta’al MK Ofer Cassif for his signing of a petition in support of South Africa’s move in the International Court of Justice in the Hague accusing Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. The impeachment passed in the House Committee but did not pass in the Knesset plenum after receiving 85 votes.
As part of a previous agreement in the opposition, Odeh was scheduled to take over as chairman of the Knesset Special Committee on Young Israelis from Democrats MK Naama Lazimi. However, Knesset House Committee MK Ofir Katz (Likud) said on Monday he would not approve the move in light of the accusations against Odeh.
Katz approved on Monday a series of other changes in the chairmanship of Knesset committees based on earlier agreements mainly within the opposition.
Democrats MK Gilad Kariv will take over as chairman of the Immigration, Absorption, and Diaspora Affairs Committee from Yisrael Beytenu MK Oded Forer. Forer will take over as head of the Special Committee for Strengthening and Developing the Negev and Galilee from National Unity MK Michael Biton.
Likud MK Nissim Vaturi, who is also one of nine deputy Knesset speakers, will take over the Committee for Oversight of the Israeli Citizens’ Fund from Otzma Yehudit MK Limor Son Har-Melech. The committee is largely responsible for overseeing the use of state funds accrued by taxes on natural gas sales.
Ra’am MK Yasir Hujeirat will take over the Knesset Science and Technology Committee from Odeh.
Finally, Likud MK Ariel Kallner will take over as head of the Special Committee for Combating Drug and Alcohol Abuse from Likud MK Boaz Bismuth.
A spokesperson for Bismuth announced on Monday night that he would be taking over chairmanship of the National Security Committee, instead of Otzma Yehudit MK Zvika Fogel, who resigned from the coalition in protest of the hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.
The reshuffling still needs to be approved by the committees themselves before it becomes official.
