Will MK Ayman Odeh Be Expelled From the Knesset?
Despite controversial wartime remarks, the Knesset lacks the 90 votes needed to oust the Joint List leader—leaving his political future in limbo.
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Tensions are mounting in Jerusalem as the coalition faces mounting doubts over its ability to secure the 90-vote supermajority required to expel MK Ayman Odeh, leader of the Joint Arab List, from the Knesset.
The vote, initially scheduled for Monday, was triggered by a series of anti-Israel statements Odeh made during the war. Coalition officials now estimate that the expulsion motion is likely to fall short, as the opposition remains divided and internal coalition tensions persist.
While the ruling bloc formally includes 68 MKs, sources say 31 to 34 lawmakers are expected to oppose the motion—well below the constitutional threshold needed for expulsion. Even with full support from ultra-Orthodox factions and the six MKs from Yisrael Beiteinu, the coalition would still only reach 74 votes.
MK Avichai Boaron, who spearheaded the effort, acknowledged that success hinges on members of the National Unity Party, as some in Yesh Atid have voiced quiet support for removing Odeh. Still, with Arab lawmakers and Labor Party MKs expected to oppose the move, and no clear consensus in the centrist blocs, the vote remains on shaky ground.
Making matters worse, the ongoing standoff over the military draft bill may prompt some Haredi factions to abstain, further eroding the coalition’s count. With the Knesset’s summer session nearing its end, the political window to pass the measure is closing rapidly.
Three weeks ago, the Knesset’s House Committee held a heated hearing on Boaron’s petition to remove Odeh from office. The session descended into chaos when Likud MK David Amsalem called Odeh a “terrorist,” adding, “If you were in Iran or Gaza, they’d hang you upside down and stone you.” Odeh responded by calling Amsalem “a terrorist” in return.
Odeh, the head of Hadash-Ta’al, is already expected to retire from politics at the end of his term, raising questions about the strategic value of pursuing his removal at all.
In his most controversial statement, Odeh recently joined a march marking "58 years of occupation" and said: "Israel has become a pariah state in the eyes of the world, among all nations and even in the West." He went further, claiming: "Today, after 600 days of war, majorities on both sides regret it. This is a historic defeat for the right-wing ideology that failed in Gaza."