Ra’am Knesset member booed for voting with opposition

Ra’am MK Mazen Ghanaim is booed in the Knesset plenum for voting with the opposition in favor of establishing a hospital in the northern Arab city of Sakhnin. The legislation passes 51-50 in its first reading, in a blow to the coalition.

Ghanaim, a member of the governing coalition, breaks rank in order to vote with the opposition, against the official position of the government and his own party. His “yes” vote is met with boos from MKs from his own party, who voted against the legislation.

The legislation was proposed by the Joint List, and received support of many opposition MKs who are believed to have voted in favor of the bill simply to embarrass the coalition.

There are currently no public hospitals in Arab cities in Israel, and the proposed Sakhnin facility would become the first.