Opposition MKs decamp hearing in protest after lawmaker booted

By Ariela Karmel

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28 December 2025, 3:06 pm

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Ariela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.

Opposition members have left a Knesset Finance Committee meeting in protest after committee chair Likud MK Hanoch Milwidsky removed Yesh Atid MK Orit Farkash-Hacohen and barred her from returning to the chamber except to vote.

Yesh Atid MKs Naor Shiri and Vladimir Beliak, as well as Labor’s Naama Lazimi and Gilad Kariv, leave in protest, stating that if Farkash-Hacohen is not allowed to take part in the discussion, neither will they.

As opposition members exit the room, Beliak says to Milwidsky, “We’ll see you in court.”

The confrontation erupted during a discussion on budget transfers, including the controversial diversion of over NIS 220 million ($68.5 million) from a program meant to boost Arab economic development to the police to combat “severe nationalistic crime” in the Arab community.

The transfer is especially controversial because it is being pushed by Social Equality Minister May Golan, who is being investigated by police for fraud and misusing public funds, leading opposition MKs to argue that the move constitutes a kickback to police.

Farkash-Cohen was attempting to question the Israel Police representative and the committee’s legal adviser Shlomit Erlich about the opinion given by the Prime Minister’s Office regarding legal issues with the proposal, before she was silenced and ejected from the room by Milwidsky.

Following the exodus of opposition lawmakers, Milwidsky continues the discussion in a room largely empty of committee members until Erlich leaves, forcing him to adjourn the session.

“MK Farkash-Hacohen said things that cannot be said,” says Milwidsky in a statement, reiterating that she will only be allowed to return to vote. “As for other members of the opposition, I don’t know why [they left]… perhaps to prevent the discussion from actually taking place.”

A statement from the Knesset spokesperson says the session was slated to restart this afternoon.

In a post on X, Farkash-Hacohen says that her only “crime” was that she “dared to ask questions.”

“This harassment of members of the Finance Committee will not pass in silence,” says Lazimi, calling the planned diversion of funds “entirely a scheme by a corrupt minister and a criminal minister,” referring to Golan and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.