The Knesset House Committee voted to advance the impeachment of Israeli-Arab MK Ayman Odeh to the wider plenum on Monday following statements he made regarding a hostage-prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas in January.
The Knesset has never impeached one of its members.
Odeh sparked outrage on January 19 when he said he was “happy for the release of the hostages and prisoners” as part of a temporary ceasefire agreement in Gaza. The hostages he referenced included Emily Damari, Doron Steinbacher, and Romy Gonen, who had been held by Hamas. The Palestinian prisoners released in exchange were not convicted murderers, though several carried out failed terror attacks.
Odeh’s referral to the plenum was backed by a vote of 14-2.