Lapid, Abbas hatched plan to torpedo Likud bill during earlier meeting

Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas agreed to vote against the Likud proposal on the formation of the Knesset’s Arrangements Committee during a meeting earlier today with Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid.

Four MKs from Ra’am waited outside the plenum and pretended to abstain. Then at the last minute, during the second roll call, they entered together and voted the Likud proposal down.

In exchange for their support, Lapid promised Ra’am a spot on the Knesset’s Finance Committee, a deputy Knesset speaker position for one of its lawmakers, and to chair a committee on combating violence in the Arab community, if he forms a government.

Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas (L) meets with Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid in the Knesset on April 19, 2021. (Yesh Atid)