From the Liveblog of
Monday, October 13, 2025
Two MKs from mainly Arab party ejected from Knesset for holding up signs during Trump’s speech; one said, ‘Recognize Palestine’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
MK Ayman Odeh, chairman of the mainly Arab Hadash-Ta’al party, is removed from the Knesset plenum after holding up a sign calling on US President Donald Trump to “recognize Palestine” during a speech by the American leader. The Arab-Israeli MK is a vocal proponent of Palestinian statehood, which Israel’s government rejects.
Ofer Cassif, the party’s only Jewish MK, also attempts to hold up a sign and is removed as well.
After they are removed, Trump declares, “That was very efficient,” and continues his speech.
Hadash-Ta’al MKs Ayman Odeh and Ofer Cassif removed from Trump’s speech after holding up signs calling to “recognize Palestine.”
Trump quips that the ejection was “very efficient.” pic.twitter.com/0tvs7JbSAS
— Sam Sokol (@SamuelSokol) October 13, 2025
The lawmakers defend their conduct on social media. In a post on X, Cassif declares that he and Odeh “didn’t come to disrupt, but to demand justice.”
“True peace that will save both peoples of this land from destruction will only come with the end of the occupation and apartheid and the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel,” he writes. “Refuse to be occupiers! Resist the government of bloodshed!”
“They removed me from the plenum just because I raised the simplest demand, a demand that the entire international community agrees on: to recognize a Palestinian state,” posts Odeh.
The Times of Israel Community.