Minister skips Knesset vote due to another minister being seated closer than her to PM

Science Minister Gila Gamliel of the ruling Likud party has boycotted a vote in the Knesset plenum after finding out that the party’s Social Equality Minister May Golan is seated closer than her to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hebrew media reports.

Gamliel’s absence didn’t affect the vote, in which the coalition thwarted in a preliminary reading legislation proposed by the opposition’s Avigdor Liberman, which would set mandatory IDF enlistment for all Israeli citizens of all communities.

She later returns to the plenum after coalition whip Ofir Katz (Likud) slammed her in a lawmakers’ WhatsApp group, saying no MK can go against coalition discipline and skip a vote without prior approval or without coordinating with an opposition MK who will also be absent.

Gamliel also reportedly got an explanation for Golan’s seat change — the latter wanted to move away from the air conditioner since she had felt cold.