Labor MK, suffering spinal ailment, arrives in ambulance to vote for government
Labor MK Emilie Moatti votes while lying in stretcher before being taken back to hospital, where she is being treated for a condition that left her unable to stand
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In one of the more striking aspects of Sunday’s Knesset vote on the new government, Labor MK Emilie Moatti arrived from the hospital to the Knesset in an ambulance to vote for the incoming government while lying on a stretcher.
Moatti is suffering from a spinal ailment, a rare infection after a routine medical check she underwent last week, and was unable to stand.
But with the coalition winning the Knesset’s approval by the narrowest possible simple majority, 60-59, every vote had been crucial.
With her approval, Channel 12 publicized a photo of the lawmaker lying on a stretcher in the plenum.
תמונה מדהימה- אמלי מואטי מצביעה בשכיבה. בעקבות ניקור מותני יש לה תופעת לוואי נדירה של דליפה מעמוד השדרה שלא מאפשרת לה לעמוד (לשכתה אישרה את פרסום) pic.twitter.com/2NgUvQ2ibM
— דפנה ליאל (@DaphnaLiel) June 13, 2021
Newly elected Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy chose not to deliver his planned speech after being chosen, in order that the vote to approve the government could be held right away, sparing Moatti any delay.
“I prepared a speech and worked on it. But MK Emilie Moati arrived here by ambulance to vote and we want to free her up to return (to hospital,)” Levy said. So I will give up on the speech and just thank you for your faith in me.”
She was taken back out of the chamber as soon as she had cast her vote.
Moati, 40, a former social activist and television presenter and political commentator, joined Labor as a candidate in 2019.
The Times of Israel Community.