Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released a solidarity statement on Monday with Israeli Knesset member Ayman Odeh, leader of the Arab Hadash-Ta’al Party, several weeks after the Knesset House Committee voted overwhelmingly to recommend Odeh’s impeachment.
The call for Odeh’s impeachment is “a grave assault on democracy, pluralism and freedom of expression,” the three legislators said.
“For over a decade, MK Odeh has been a leading advocate for peace, justice and Jewish-Arab partnership,” according to the statement. “The current expulsion effort is a direct response to MK Odeh’s outspoken and brave calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, an end to the occupation, and a political solution between Israelis and Palestinians.”
The impeachment request was submitted after Odeh made a statement that appeared to draw a parallel between the Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel.
“Suppressing dissent does not strengthen a democracy; it weakens its legitimacy,” the statement continued. “This expulsion effort sends a chilling message to millions of Palestinian citizens of Israel: that their representation is conditional and their rights revocable. Such a message has no place in any democratic society.”
It concluded: “We stand in solidarity with MK Odeh and with the right of all lawmakers, Arab and Jewish, to speak freely and without fear of political retribution.”
