Hadash lawmakers spark fury after heckling President Trump’s pro-Israel address, as rights group demands their suspension and heavy fines.
A political storm erupted in the Knesset on Monday after MK Ofer Cassif and MK Ayman Odeh of the far-left Hadash party disrupted U.S. President Donald Trump’s historic address, waving protest signs and shouting slogans in what many lawmakers condemned as “an insult to Israel’s closest ally and an embarrassment to the nation.”
Following the incident, Shai Glick, CEO of the human rights watchdog B’Tsalmo, filed an official complaint with Knesset Ethics Committee Chairman MK Eliyahu Revivo, demanding severe sanctions against the two lawmakers.
“During the historic speech by Israel’s greatest ally—the president of the most powerful nation on earth—Odeh and Cassif chose disgrace over dignity,” Glick wrote. “They deliberately disrupted the session, shouting and waving signs while President Trump addressed the Israeli people. This was not free speech; it was a vile provocation that insulted the Knesset and jeopardized Israel’s foreign relations.”
Glick emphasized that President Trump’s visit represented a high point in U.S.-Israel relations, especially after his role in brokering the hostage return deal and advancing the Gaza peace framework.
“No president has ever shown such unwavering loyalty to Israel’s security,” he wrote. “Their contemptuous behavior dishonored not only President Trump, but also the families of the freed hostages and the citizens of Israel who cherish this alliance.”
In his formal complaint, Glick called for a six-month suspension from Knesset duties and a financial penalty of 100,000 shekels for each MK. He also reminded the committee that Cassif has a history of disciplinary violations, having been suspended previously for anti-Israel provocations.
“Even after months of suspension, Cassif continues to behave like an agitator within Israel’s parliament,” Glick added. “This pattern of contempt cannot be ignored. The Knesset must send a clear message that those who disgrace the nation’s legislature and sabotage Israel’s international image will face consequences.”
The disruption occurred as President Trump addressed the plenum in a landmark session celebrating the U.S.-Israel strategic alliance and the end of the Gaza war, marking what Israeli officials described as “a new dawn in regional peace.”
Political analysts say the Ethics Committee is under growing public pressure to act decisively, warning that leniency could embolden further extremist disruptions in Israel’s parliament.
