The Knesset House Committee approved Monday (June 30) by a majority of 14 to 2 the recommendation to dismiss MK Ayman Odeh. The initiative was led by MK Avichay Boaron of Likud, citing in particular Odeh’s past statement equating Nukhba terrorists and other prisoners with blood on their hands with Israeli hostages brutally abducted from their homes and the Nova music festival.
Odeh has made many controversial statements in the past including “Gaza won and Gaza will win” – suggesting that Hamas terrorists were victorious on October 7 and would prevail again. In an interview with he said he had no problem with soldiers being harmed, and he promoted the libe that IDF soldiers carried out a massacre in Gaza. During the committee hearing on his dismissal, he stood by all his past remarks, stating: “I do not retract anything I’ve said”.
Overwhelming Majority Vote
All coalition representatives, along with MKs from Yisrael Beytenu, Yesh Atid, and the National Unity party, voted in favor of the dismissal. During the discussion, attended by opposition MK Gilad Kariv, it was clarified that the procedure will reach the Knesset plenum within about three weeks, where a 90-MK supermajority will be required to finalize the expulsion.
Committee Chair Ophir Katz made harsh remarks: “In a proper state, Ayman Odeh should rot in prison and be stripped of citizenship. I sincerely hope Yesh Atid and National Unity won’t backtrack and play a double game when this reaches the plenum. Ayman Odeh must be removed.”
