Ra’am MK: We won’t take part in Knesset votes, meetings until further notice

11 July 2021, 2:00 pm

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Ra'am MK Walid Taha attends a Knesset Arrangements Committee meeting, on June 21, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Ra’am MK Waleed Taha tweets that his Islamist party won’t take part in Knesset committee meetings or vote in plenum sessions until further notice.

Taha doesn’t specify why Ra’am is taking this step, but the Kan public broadcaster quotes a Ra’am source saying the party won’t allow the coalition to hold talks with predominantly Arab Joint List party, which could weaken Ra’am.

Unlike Ra’am, the Joint List opposes the new government, but it can still provide the coalition with support by voting for or abstaining on a given piece of legislation.

Taha’s comments came after fellow Ra’am MK Mazen Ghanaim said the party would bolt the coalition if Israel were to strike in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.