Knesset Committee Votes to Impeach Arab MK Ayman Odeh

The Knesset House Committee voted overwhelmingly to recommend the impeachment of MK Ayman Odeh, chairman of the Arab Hadash-Ta’al Party, due to his comments welcoming the release of Palestinian terrorists as part of a hostage deal with Hamas. The bipartisan vote of 14-2 included support from opposition parties such as Yesh Atid, Yisrael Beytenu, and National Unity, alongside coalition members. Odeh's remarks, which drew parallels between Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, sparked outrage and accusations that he legitimized terrorism, while Odeh refused to retract or apologize. Committee Chairman Ofir Katz and initiator MK Avichai Boaron emphasized Odeh's refusal to recognize Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations and called for his removal, asserting that in a proper country Odeh would face imprisonment. The impeachment now moves to the Knesset plenum, where a supermajority of 90 votes is needed to finalize the dismissal, although Odeh has denounced the proceedings as a political attack aimed at silencing dissent. Legal experts suggest the impeachment effort may face challenges, as the grounds rely mainly on Odeh's public statements, which some argue do not meet the threshold for removal from office.