Bill to remove lawmakers from office cleared for final votes
Controversial legislation would allow 90 MKs to oust colleagues over incitement, support for armed struggle against Israel
Marissa Newman is The Times of Israel political correspondent.
The Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice committee on Monday approved for its final readings in the Knesset plenum on Tuesday a controversial bill that would allow lawmakers to boot their colleagues from parliament.
Opposition Knesset members on the panel did not vote on the final draft of the legislation — which originally called for the suspension of lawmakers rather than their dismissal — in protest.
According to the final version, 70 Knesset members — 10 of whom must be from the opposition — may file a complaint with the Knesset speaker against any lawmaker who supports armed struggle against Israel or incites to racial hatred, kicking off the impeachment process.
The Knesset House Committee would then debate the complaint before clearing it with a three-quarter majority in the committee. The motion to dismiss the lawmaker would then be sent to the plenum, where, if 90 Knesset members vote in favor, the MK would be ousted. The deposed lawmaker may then appeal the decision with the Supreme Court.
Under the terms of the proposed law, Knesset members cannot be removed from office during an election period.
The bill, originally known as the MK suspension bill, was proposed after three Arab MKs paid a condolence visit to the families of Palestinians killed while attacking Israelis. The three reportedly observed a moment of silence during the visit — they denied it — which some said was tantamount to showing support for terror.
The three lawmakers were suspended on February 8 by the Knesset Ethics Committee — Hanin Zoabi and Basel Ghattas for four months, and Jamal Zahalka for two.
The proposed legislation was largely seen as a way to remove Zoabi — a firebrand lawmaker who recently called IDF soldiers “murderers” — from office, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisting last month that “she crossed every line” and there was “no room” from her in parliament.
Results from the Balad party primaries in June, released on Sunday, placed Zoabi fifth on the slate, indicating she would not enter Knesset in the next election. Balad currently holds three seats in the Joint (Arab) List faction.
The bill has seen some internal coalition opposition, as well as by President Reuven Rivlin, who warned in February that the power to punish lawmakers should not be in the hands of fellow Knesset members.
Joint (Arab) List chairman Ayman Odeh has threatened to quit the Knesset if the bill is signed into law.
