From the Liveblog of
Monday, March 9, 2026
Minister Karhi accuses Yesh Atid MKs of ‘voting with supporters of terrorism’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi accuses Opposition Leader Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party of voting “together with the supporters of terrorism from the Joint List” after MKs Adi Azuz and Matti Sarfatti Harcavi supported a motion of no-confidence in the government, sponsored by the Knesset’s Arab factions.
Addressing lawmakers gathered in a fortified auditorium rather than the main plenum chamber, Karhi dismisses shouts by Yesh Atid MKs that they voted for the measure “by accident.”
Pushing back on Lapid’s statement earlier today, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition of continuing to advance a partisan agenda during wartime and using a “poison machine” against the opposition, Karhi declares: “The real poison is the poison that you’ve directed at IDF soldiers and the Israeli government during wartime.”
The “poison machine” is the name some avowed critics of Netanyahu use for what they say is a network of pundits, journalists, influencers and activists dedicated to besmirching the premier’s political rivals.
Yesh Atid MKs shout at Karhi, at one point standing in a group and chanting “liar” at the cabinet minister.
The party distanced itself from the votes in favor of the no-confidence motion this afternoon, stating that they had voted yes by mistake and that “the faction’s position is not to vote in favor of no-confidence motions” during the conflict with Iran.
The Times of Israel Community.