Over 120 former members of Knesset, including former prime ministers Ehud Olmert and Ehud Barak, sent a joint letter to the current Knesset urging them to oppose the removal of MK Ayman Odeh on Wednesday.
“You do not need to agree with MK Odeh to oppose his removal,” the letter read, arguing that Odeh’s removal would set a “dangerous precedent” that crossed a red line, allowing for the removal of any MK “ based on beliefs, positions, and ways of life.”
“The removal of MK Odeh is a direct and tangible threat to the democratic space and all public arenas.”
The signatories called on current Knesset members to show courage and take responsibility against “dangerous populism.”
“For Members of Knesset, there can be no hesitation or compromise here, because the future of democracy is truly in your hands,” the letter concluded.
Among the signatories are former President Reuven Rivlin and several former MKs from across the political aisle, including Tzipi Livni, Moshe Ya’alon, and Meir Sheetrit.
No serving MK has been removed since the 2016 enactment of the Removal Law, which was opposed by all opposition factions at the time.
Reasoning for impeaching Odeh
The procedure to impeach Odeh came in June after he said during a protest: “After 600 days, there is an overwhelming majority among both peoples saying: If only these 20 months had never happened. This is a historic defeat for the Right, which was defeated in Gaza. Gaza won, and Gaza will win.”
Additionally, there was a failed attempt to impeach him in January after he posted on X/Twitter: “Happy about the release of hostages and [Palestinian] prisoners. From here, both peoples need to be freed from the burden of the occupation; we were born free.”
The impeachment was not just a response to specific statements but directed against “Odeh as a person and everything he represents,” Boaron said in his closing argument. At the end of the hearing, committee chairman Ofir Katz (Likud) said Odeh was a “bitter enemy” of Israel, and in a “normal country,” he would “rot in jail.”
Only Ra’am MK Waleed Taha and Hadash-Ta’al MK Ahmad Tibi voted against his impeachment.