This week a historic event on a global scale took place in the Knesset.
A group of politicians, legislators, decided to impeach a Knesset member.
Not because of an offense he committed and not because of planning to commit an offense or any crime, but because of his opinions, his thoughts and the wrongness of his ideology.
It is possible and legitimate not to like MK Ofer Kasif's style. It is possible and legitimate to see his conduct as unusual and harsh and even rude, especially at a time when Israel is at war; but to punish him, or more precisely to remove him from the Knesset to which he was sent by tens of thousands of voters as a direct election, This is an extremely dangerous thing. Much more dangerous for the State of Israel than MK Kasif or his constituents.
I do not know MK Kasif personally, and I do not think he is one of my favorite politicians as an Arab citizen of the State of Israel, but the actions of 87 members of the Knesset who signed the petition to impeach him offend me as an Israeli citizen and a member of a minority living in the country, and the impeachment of a member of the Knesset means that anyone who voices A different opinion or a different opinion from the opinion of the majority - will find himself outside the walls of the legislature. This is how we got used to other countries in the Middle East acting, and Israel and its citizens in the past reacted with surprise or lack of understanding to such an act.
The discussion that took place this week in the Knesset committee should keep sleep away from the eyes of the citizens of the country who want Israel to continue to exist as a democracy.
I do not understand how 14 members of the Knesset vote for the dismissal of MK Kasif without any of them asking the simple question: Am I next in line?
Democracy is first and foremost the ability to accommodate and hear the other's opinion.
It can be jarring and difficult and even irritating especially during wartime.
Democracy is the ability to guarantee and let the opinions of minorities be heard without fear or apprehension, and what happened this week is practically gagging and silencing under the threat of impeachment.
No one has the right to impeach an elected official, and this was the position of the legal advisors, but who even gives weight to legal advice in the country today?
It is clear that this will not stand the test of the High Court, but the circus must continue and the show must reach the Knesset plenum. The members of the Knesset who want to impeach Kasif are speaking to their base and not to logic or the principles of democracy.
The actions of 87 members of the Knesset who signed the request for his removal offend me as an Israeli citizen and a member of a minority living in the country, and the meaning of the removal of a member of the Knesset is that anyone who voices a different or different opinion from the opinion of the majority - will find himself outside the walls of the legislature
Kasif is not appointed by any appointment and is not employed as a civil servant, he is, as mentioned, an elected official.
He had the duty of caution right now, and he was wrong when he signed a petition that called for an investigation into whether Israel committed war crimes in Gaza, and therefore there may be room for harsh and sharp criticism against him, but there is no legitimacy to removing him from his position, and the removal is not constitutional.
It is likely that all members of the Knesset will be present at the discussion in the Knesset plenum that will deal with the removal of MK Kasif, and it is clear that they will speak to the cameras in flame-throwing and populist speeches and not in a balanced and matter-of-fact manner, because there are those who must continue the show - the presentation of division and incitement and fake news.
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