On Jan. 18, Chairman of the Joint Arab List Ayman Odeh hurried to set the narrative to describe the violent events that occurred earlier that morning in the Bedouin village of Umm al-Hiran. The police operation to evacuate the village left Sgt. Maj. Erez Amadi Levi dead after he was struck by a car driven by one of the residents. The forced evacuation occurred after negotiations between the residents and the authorities blew up the night before. On the table was the willing evacuation of the village by its residents, in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling.
Photos of Knesset member Odeh bleeding from a head wound appeared in all the media and were shared across social networks. In interviews from the Soroka hospital, Odeh claimed he was struck by rubber bullets fired at him by police. The police reject this, saying that he was hurt by a rock thrown by rioters.