the parliamentary committee approved the expulsion of MK Odeh, after resuming the investigation session at the request of Likud (ruling) party Knesset member Avichai Boaron, regarding a post Odeh published on the X platform last January.
In the committee, 14 members of parliament from both the government and opposition voted in favor of the request to dismiss Odeh, head of the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality, while two members opposed it.
Members of parliament from the opposition Yesh Atid party, headed by Yair Lapid, the right-wing opposition Yisrael Beiteinu party, headed by Avigdor Lieberman, and the opposition National Union party, headed by Benny Gantz, voted in favor of the dismissal.
"The dismissal process will reach the Knesset plenum within three weeks, and a majority vote of 90 members (out of 120) will be required to complete the dismissal process," according to the channel.
Even if the Knesset plenum approves the dismissal decision, Odeh, head of the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality, will be able to file a petition against the decision with the Supreme Court.
For his part, Odeh's office said in a statement: "The Knesset parliamentary committee voted today, Monday, by a majority to expel MK Ayman Odeh, despite the position of the attorney general, who expressed serious legal reservations about the decision."
"What is happening is not just a personal attack on me, but a dangerous escalation against the freedom of expression of all Arab citizens and a direct attack on what remains of the democratic margin within the Knesset," Odeh said in the statement.
He added, "What is happening today against me could happen tomorrow against any Arab MP who raises his or her voice. We cannot retreat from this exclusionary path, because retreating would open the door to the persecution of every free voice."
Awda continued, "The opposition has chosen to ally with Netanyahu and the extreme right. This is not a democratic opposition, but rather a partnership in the project of Jewish supremacy and the suppression of political pluralism."
He added, "The battle is not over a person at all, but rather over the right to political representation for Arabs and freedom of expression in general," emphasizing his determination to move forward with steps to prevent his expulsion from the Knesset.
Reason for exclusion
A week ago, the parliamentary committee met to discuss Odeh's removal following a complaint filed by MP Bouaron regarding a post Odeh posted on the X platform.
According to the complaint, Odeh wrote: "I am happy to free the prisoners (Palestinians) and the kidnapped (Israeli prisoners). From here, we must liberate the two peoples (Palestinians and Israelis) from the occupation. Because we were all born free."
In this context, the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality said in a statement: "A massive Arab-Jewish demonstration in front of the Knesset ended, coinciding with the Knesset parliamentary committee's decision to expel Ayman Odeh, in retaliation for his positions against the (Israeli) war of starvation and genocide in the Gaza Strip."
The "Palestinians of 1948" (Arabs inside Israel) constitute 21% of Israel's total population of 9,593,000 people.
