Arab Joint List helps Bennett’s government survive no-confidence motion

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Arab Joint List on Monday voted against a no-confidence motion in the Knesset, a move that kept Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s coalition government alive.

The Arab Joint List, which is not a member of the coalition but has six seats in the Knesset, justified its move as a way to block former long-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from returning to power.

After the vote, it said it will not back any move that returns Netanyahu to power, stressing at the same time that it will only act for the interests of the Arab community in Israel.

The opposition parties led by Netanyahu submitted a no-confidence motion but could not meet the required threshold of 61 deputies voting against and 52 in favor, according to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

Notably, the Arab Ra’am party, a coalition government member with four Knesset seats, was not present at the session.

After 11 months in office, Bennett’s coalition has lost its parliamentary majority as his party is crumbling following the withdrawal of figures from his right-wing nationalist Yamina Party.

For his part, Netanyahu blamed Bennett’s government for Israel’s current political crisis.

In June 2021, Bennett came to power in Israel leading a coalition of eight parties, including the Ra’am party, putting an end to Netanyahu’s over 12 years in office.