Today: 1 August 2025
20 May 2022
1 min read

Israel’s governing coalition become minority in Parliament

Israel’s governing coalition became a minority in Knesset or the parliament, after an Israeli-Arab lawmaker announced her resignation…reports Asian Lite News

Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi, an Israeli-Arab with the liberal Meretz party, handed in her resignation letter to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Thursday, leaving his eight-party coalition with only 59 seats in the 120-seat parliament.

In the letter, the lawmaker said she was quitting because Bennett’s government has taken a string of “hawkish and right-wing policies” over the flashpoint holy site of Al-Aqsa mosque compound in East Jerusalem, demolitions of Bedouin homes in the Negev Desert in southern Israel, and other issues relating to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank.

Her departure, less than a year after the inauguration of the new government, threw Bennett’s coalition into disarray and made it more difficult for the embattled Prime Minister to keep his grip on power, Xinhua news agency reported.

The right-wing Likud party, headed by Bennett’s main rival, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, already announced on Wednesday its plans to bring a no-confidence motion to parliament.

ALSO READ: Palestinians call on world community to boycott Israel

If such a motion passes in four rounds of votes, a procedure that might take weeks, the Knesset will be dissolved, sending Israelis to elections for the fifth time in three years.

The ruling coalition has already lost its slim majority on April 6, when Idit Silman, a lawmaker with the Yamina party, quit over a religious dispute, placing the coalition on 60 seats in the parliament.

Bennett’s cross-partisan coalition — formed with Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party — is composed of a mixture of pro-settler nationalists, liberals and Islamists, united only with the goal of ousting Netanyahu, who is facing a criminal trial over corruption charges.

Previous Story

‘Unmasking Indian Secularism – Why We Need A New Hindu-Muslim Deal’

Next Story

ACI Asia-Pacific announces new president & 4 new board members

Latest from Arab News

Famine grips Gaza, WHO warns

WHO said Gaza’s population is facing acute food insecurity under the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification…reports Asian Lite News The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued its starkest warning yet about the

Lifeline from UAE to Gaza

UAE’s Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 sustains Gaza’s collapsing health system with hospitals, treatment, aid, and vaccines, offering vital relief to thousands amid deepening crisis….reports Asian Lite News The United Arab Emirates has

More Nations Support Palestine State

UAE has hailed the intention of countries such as Malta, Canada, Australia, Andorra, Finland, Iceland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Portugal, and San Marino to recognise Palestine….reports Asian Lite News The UAE has welcomed

Trump envoy in Israel as Gaza starves

Witkoff is expected to visit US-backed food distribution efforts in Gaza run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). As the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza worsens, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve

UK PM, Oman’s Sultan agree to deepen ties

Sultan Haitham welcomes UK’s steps towards recognising Palestine, reaffirms Oman’s support for a two-state solution and lasting peace in the Middle East..reports Asian Lite News Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Oman’s Sultan
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Israel PM due in Berlin

The announcement also comes some two weeks after Palestinian President

Raisi: Iran’s peaceful nuclear progress irreversible

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has said that the country’s progress