Several political parties within the Knesset found themselves embroiled in a heated dispute on Tuesday in response to the controversial statements made by MK Iman Khatib-Yasin. The parliamentarians were divided over whether to oust her from her position after she appeared to deny allegations of atrocities committed by the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip a month ago. As Likud spearheaded the effort to remove Yasin, her party's chairman, Mansour Abbas, hinted at alternative courses of action against her.
Members of the Likud party were busy collecting signatures today to support Khatib-Yasin's impeachment. In a formal letter addressed to Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, they asserted, "MK Iman Khatib-Yasin's statements are in direct opposition to the interests of the State of Israel. This is especially concerning in light of the recent attacks and the atrocities committed by Hamas, as well as the evidence presented in a video that suggests her support and identification with the armed struggle of a terrorist organization. Such inflammatory rhetoric cannot be tolerated in the political and public discourse. It is imperative that this Knesset member step down, particularly when our fellow citizens are on the frontlines, and many families have lost loved ones or are anxiously waiting for their return."
Israelโs Raโam party leader Mansour Abbas demands that a party member who denied 10/7 atrocities quit Knesset
โ Oren Kessler (@OrenKessler) November 5, 2023
MK Iman Khatib-Yasin said that videos circulated by the IDF of the atrocities committed by Hamas did not show โrape of womenโ nor โslaughter of babiesโ
via @cjkeller8
Furthermore, members of the Likud party emphasized that there was widespread consensus, even within Khatib-Yasin's own Ra'am party, that she should resign immediately. They formally requested the Knesset Speaker to invoke relevant sections of the law to expedite the matter, urging that the issue be brought before the Knesset Committee and subsequently put to a vote in the plenary as swiftly as possible.
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri also addressed the issue during a recent faction meeting, where he instructed his party's chairman, MK Yanon Azoulai, to seek legal counsel from the Knesset's legal department to ensure that any impeachment bill would be legally sound and result in Yasin's removal. "Today, we received a positive response," declared Deri, as he directed Shas MKs to promptly sign the petition against Yasin for her alleged denial of the atrocities. However, the Yesh Atid party expressed caution, stating that they were awaiting legal advice to determine the feasibility of such a step.
"ืื ืฉืืื ืชืื ืืงืืช, ืืคืืืช ืืื ืฉืืื ืืกืจื, ืืื ืื ืกื ื ืฉืื"- ื"ื ืืืืื ืืืื ืืืกืื ืืจืข"ื ืืืืื ืืืืจืืขื ื-7 ืืืืงืืืืจ. ืืฉื ืฉืืื ืืื ืฆืคืชื ืืกืจื ืฉืืืงืจื ืื"ืืื: "ืื ืืืืื ืืฆืคืืช, ืื ื ืฉืืขืชื ืืืงืืจ ืจืืฉืื"@khatib_eman @mazalm3 pic.twitter.com/5vCQgQvV0Z
โ ืขืจืืฅ ืื ืกืช (@KnessetT) November 5, 2023
In 2016, an amendment to the Basic Law in Israel was passed, granting the Knesset the authority to impeach a member with a majority of 90 votes. Initiating impeachment proceedings requires the support of at least 70 Knesset members, including a minimum of ten opposition members. Under current law, impeachment can only be pursued if a member is found guilty of inciting racism, endorsing actions of an enemy state or a terrorist organization against Israel, or denying the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.
