Published: October 13, 2025 10:13 pm
Author: RT
The two lawmakers held up “Recognize Palestine” signs
Two members of Israel’s Knesset were removed from the chamber after holding up pro-Palestinian signs during US President Donald Trump’s speech on Monday.
Ayman Odeh and Ofer Cassif, from the mainly Arab Hadash-Ta’al coalition, held signs reading “Recognize Palestine!” – prompting immediate uproar from other legislators.
Trump paused and stood silent as the MPs were quickly escorted out. He then remarked, “That was very efficient,” before continuing his speech.
Cassif defended his actions on X, writing that Trump was “part of the problem, not a solution,” and that “true peace requires an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.”
Odeh also defended his stunt, writing, “They kicked me out of the Knesset just for raising the simplest demand, one that the whole international community agrees on: Recognize the State of Palestine!”
Hadash-Ta’al MKs Ayman Odeh and Ofer Cassif removed from Trump’s speech after holding up signs calling to “recognize Palestine.”
Trump quips that the ejection was “very efficient.” pic.twitter.com/0tvs7JbSAS
— Sam Sokol (@SamuelSokol) October 13, 2025
The US president visited Israel to oversee the implementation of an agreement he helped mediate, under which Hamas freed the remaining 20 living hostages in exchange for the release of around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Trump as the “greatest friend” Israel has ever had.
READ MORE: World leaders sign Gaza deal after Israel-Hamas prisoner swap: as it happened
Later that day, Trump signed the Gaza ceasefire deal with mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye in Sharm el-Sheikh, on Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
