During a discussion held today (Tuesday) by the Knesset committee on a request to remove MK Ayman Odeh from the Knesset, the coalition chairman, MK Ofir Katz, harshly attacked Odeh.
The request was submitted by MK Avichai Boaron of the Likud, in accordance with Knesset law, which requires the signatures of at least 70 Knesset members, 10 of whom must be from the opposition.
The discussion focuses on a tweet posted by MK Odeh, which read: "Happy for the release of the kidnapped and prisoners. From here we must free both peoples from the yoke of occupation. We were all born free.".
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In his address to the Knesset Speaker, MK Boaron wrote: "In his words, MK Odeh compares Israeli citizens who were kidnapped through no fault of their own and solely because they were Israelis and Jews, to damned terrorists whose sole purpose is to kill and murder Jews and Israeli citizens. Odeh's words clearly constitute support for terrorism, glorifying those murderous terrorists and they cannot be covered up with a blanket.".
During the discussion, heated exchanges were heard.
Committee chairman MK Ofir Katz shouted at MK Odeh: "You are a terrorist. If you behaved like this in Syria, Lebanon or Iran, countries with which you identify - expulsion from parliament would be just the beginning. There they would hang you upside down in the city square, without an ethics committee, without a Knesset committee and without the High Court of Justice.".
He added: "Israel is fighting on seven fronts - Ayman Odeh is the eighth front.".
Katz said in the debate: "He is working to weaken the State of Israel, to discredit it, to undermine the justification for its existence and to strengthen its enemies." According to Katz, since the October 7 attack, Odeh has not condemned Hamas or Hezbollah: "Since the State of Israel was attacked in the cruelest massacre in its history, Odeh has not agreed to say even once that Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorist organizations. On the contrary, he justifies their actions and accuses IDF soldiers of every possible crime - murder, massacre, everything.".
He emphasized: "We will not let this continue - not in the name of freedom of expression, nor in the name of tolerance.".
The following members of the Knesset committee participated in the discussion: Yinon Azoulay, Michel Bouskila, Boaz Bismuth, Meirav Ben Ari, Amit Halevi, Walid Taha, Boaz Toporovsky, Ahmed Tibi, Pnina Tamano, Erez Malul, Sharon Nir, Moshe Saada, Zvika Fogel, Ariel Kellner, Moshe Roth and Simcha Rothman.
If the committee approves the request by a three-quarters majority of its members, it will be forwarded to the Knesset plenum for a decision, where a majority of 90 members will be required to terminate the MK's term. The MK whose removal is sought has the right to appeal to the court.
