Two unprecedented hearings may reshape Israeli politics in one dramatic day of reckoning

Two seismic political showdowns are set to erupt in Israel on July 14, as both the Knesset and a key ministerial committee prepare for high-stakes hearings that could redefine democratic norms and redraw red lines in Israeli governance.

The Knesset will vote that day on whether to expel Ayman Odeh, leader of the Arab-majority Hadash-Ta’al party, while a separate panel of ministers will simultaneously deliberate on firing Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, Israel’s top legal official.

The vote to remove Odeh comes after the Knesset House Committee voted 14–2 on Monday to impeach him, citing controversial remarks he made earlier this year that appeared to equate Israeli hostages in Gaza with Palestinian security prisoners held in Israel. Under a 2016 law, 90 of the 120 Members of Knesset must vote in favour to remove a colleague accused of supporting “armed struggle” against the state.

No MK has ever been successfully expelled under this provision. A previous attempt to remove Hadash-Ta’al MK Ofer Cassif failed in 2024 when only 85 MKs voted for his ouster. Odeh has vowed to resist what he sees as a politically motivated attack on dissent.

“We will stand against fascism, against Kahanism, against Jewish supremacy, against the occupation,” Odeh wrote on X (formerly Twitter), declaring his defiance. “We will stand firm… for freedom of expression, for democracy, for peace.”

His fate now rests in the hands of coalition MPs and a fragmented opposition. A source within opposition party Yesh Atid confirmed its members are being given a free vote. Benny Gantz’s centrist National Unity party has yet to announce its stance.

On the same day, a five-member ministerial panel will reconvene after delays to consider dismissing Baharav-Miara, whose office has clashed repeatedly with the Netanyahu government. The attorney general is accused by ministers of obstructing their legislative agenda and undermining government policy. Baharav-Miara argues she has merely enforced the law and prevented illegal overreach.

The hearing—originally set for June 17—was postponed due to Israel’s 12-day conflict with Iran. It was further delayed after the death of Baharav-Miara’s husband. Now back on the calendar, the committee will hear testimony and submit its recommendation to the cabinet, which must then secure a 75% ministerial majority to remove her.

The panel includes some of the government’s most hardline voices: Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Science Minister Gila Gamliel, and Religious Services Minister Michael Malkieli.

The legality of the process itself is under scrutiny. Critics say the government rewrote dismissal procedures midstream after failing to make progress through existing legal channels, which require input from a professional statutory committee chaired by a former Supreme Court president. Petitions challenging the new process are currently before Israel’s High Court of Justice, which has asked for responses by July 15.

Tensions are sky-high. Several ministers have hinted they would ignore any court ruling that interferes with their attempt to remove Baharav-Miara—potentially setting up a constitutional crisis.

July 14 is shaping up to be a watershed moment. For Odeh, it could mark the first-ever parliamentary expulsion under the 2016 law. For Baharav-Miara, it could be a test of judicial independence amid fierce political headwinds. For Israel, it’s a day that may define how far its institutions bend—or break—under pressure.