DETROIT — The judge overseeing the trial of Palestinian American activist Rasmea Odeh recused himself from the case on Wednesday, Aug. 12, in a move that was hailed as a victory by her defense committee.

Odeh was indicted for allegedly lying on her U.S. citizenship application about a conviction in an Israeli military court decades ago. Her defense lawyers had asked U.S. District Judge Paul Borman to step down from the case because of his support for Israel. 

At a hearing on July 31, Borman refused to recuse himself from the case. Odeh’s defense argued that the judge cannot be “neutral and detached” as the law requires because he and his family have donated millions of dollars to Israel. 

Borman originally ruled that his Jewish faith should not bar him from overseeing the trial. However, Hatem Abudayyeh, a spokesperson for the Rasmea Defense Committee, said the motion requesting Borman to step down did not mention his faith but highlights his political and economic ties to Israel. 

“We opposed Judge Borman not because of his Jewish faith, but because of his decades of support for the state of Israel,” said Abudayyeh in a statement. “Rasmea overcame vicious torture by Israeli authorities while imprisoned in Palestine in the 70s. She has committed no crime and the government has no case. We need a judge willing to listen to a defense that puts Israel on trial for its crimes against Rasmea, and against all Palestinians.”

Borman eventually removed himself from the case, countering his own decision from two weeks ago. He stated in the order of recusal that he is stepping down after discovering that his family had “a passive financial investment connection” to SuperSol, an Israeli supermarket that was bombed in 1969. Odeh was convicted of participating in the bombing in Israel.

Odeh, 66, was arrested by federal agents at her Chicago home on Oct. 22, 2013. She is currently free on bail.

She was found guilty of “membership in an illegal organization” in Israel in 1970. She was convicted for being a member of the Popular Front of Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and participating in three 1969 bombings claimed by the organization, one of which targeted the SuperSol marketplace.

Odeh’s supporters have criticized the trial as a “political witch-hunt.” 

Abudayyeh welcomed Borman’s decision to step down. He said it is a “vindication” of the claims made by Odeh’s attorneys.

U.S. District Judge Gershwin A. Drain was assigned to oversee Odeh’s trial. Abudayyeh told The Arab American News that the defense committee will research if he has any bias toward Odeh’s cause like it did with Borman.

A status hearing in front of the new judge is still planned for Tuesday, Sept. 2. The date of the actual trial will be rescheduled.

Odeh’s supporters demonstrated in front of the federal courthouse at the last hearing, demanding the prosecutors to drop the charges. They say they will keep protesting and packing the courtroom during every day of the trial.