MK Oren Hazan
MK Oren HazanHadas Parush/Flash 90

The Knesset’s House Committee on Monday approved for a first reading of what has come to be nicknamed the “Oren Hazan Law” after the controversial Likud MK.

The law, which was initiated by committee chairman MK David Bitan (Likud), would allow a Deputy Knesset Speaker to be dismissed from his role due to inappropriate behavior by a majority of 70 Knesset members instead of 90, as required under the current law.

It passed unanimously by the members of the committee and was also supported by MKs Yoel Hasson (Zionist Union) and Bezalel Smotrich (Jewish Home).

It received its nickname in the wake of the antics of Hazan, who holds the title of Deputy Knesset Speaker, since becoming an MK.

Most recently, Hazan got into a verbal altercation with MK Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin (Zionist Union), after he teased her party for, in his opinion, not condemning the left-wing NGO Breaking the Silence.

As the Knesset members dispersed to go home, Hazan reportedly waited for Nahmias-Verbin in the Knesset parking garage, where he continued to needle her, saying, "Ayelet, I used to think you were a human being, but it turns out you're sub-human."

The stunned MK lost her cool and responded by calling Hazan “the Likud party's punishment."

This incident took place just as Hazan was returning to the Knesset from a month-long suspension imposed on him due to a previous incident with MK Karin Elharar (Yesh Atid), in which the freshman MK mocked Elharar over her disability.

It should be noted that while the law passed by the House Committee would make it easier to remove Hazan from his role as Deputy Knesset Speaker over his behavior, it could not be used to remove him as an MK altogether.

Hazan, for his part, reacted to Monday’s vote by saying, "At a time where there is no security for the Israeli population and civilians are being killed and blood is flowing like water, the preoccupation with bills whose sole purpose is cheap populism shames those who deal with it. I will not take part in this festival.”