Arab Israeli MP says Gaza ‘won’ as he slams war and occupation

Addressing a protest in Haifa on Saturday, Ayman Odeh, a prominent Arab Israeli lawmaker and head of the Hadash movement, called for an immediate end to the war and the creation of a Palestinian state.

“Gaza won, and Gaza will win,” he told the crowd, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

Odeh described the ongoing war as “a historic loss for right-wing ideology,” arguing it had exposed deep contradictions within Israeli politics.

He also praised anti-government protesters in Tel Aviv — most of them Jewish — for taking a stand. But he criticised those who oppose Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government while ignoring what he called the core issue: the occupation.

“We value you and your persistence, but we cannot accept that you don't see the crux of it all. The judicial coup came from the occupation, and there is no democracy with occupation,” Odeh said.