US Senators Condemn Israeli Move to Oust Arab Lawmaker
(MENAFN) Three United States senators released a unified declaration on Sunday, vehemently criticizing the Israeli Knesset's attempt to remove Arab legislator Ayman Odeh.
They characterized the action as an attack on foundational democratic values.
Senators Bernie Sanders, Peter Welch, and Chris Van Hollen voiced their support for Odeh, who leads the Arab-majority Hadash-Ta'al party, following the Israeli parliament’s decision to proceed with his impeachment.
"We strongly condemn the effort to expel MK Ayman Odeh from the Israeli Knesset," the senators affirmed. They emphasized that "If Israel is going to call itself a democracy, it must tolerate peaceful dissent."
The trio connected the push to oust Odeh with his persistent demands for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, an end to Israeli control over Palestinian lands, and a diplomatic resolution between Israelis and Palestinians.
"For over a decade, MK Odeh has been a leading advocate for peace, justice, and Jewish-Arab partnership," they highlighted. The senators also noted that the current attempt to expel him is a direct reaction to Odeh's “outspoken and brave calls.”
The lawmakers warned that this action sends "a chilling message to millions of Palestinian citizens of Israel: that their representation is conditional and their rights revocable."
In closing, they declared, “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.”
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