Knesset Member Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi of the Meretz Party resigned from the government coalition on Thursday, sending shockwaves through the Israeli political system.
Following Zoabi’s departure, the coalition has just 59 seats to the opposition’s 60.
In a letter sent to Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, and first published by Globes, Zoabi writes that “the heads of the coalition preferred to strengthen and safeguard the right-wing side of the coalition, again and again.”
Zoabi wrote that she encountered “total unreceptiveness to the needs of Arab communities, particularly in the areas of development for local councils, housing, employment and education.”
In February, Zoabi voted against the coalition’s attempt to pass a new military draft law, resulting in an offer for her to take up the position of consul to Shanghai, China, in exchange for future support for the coalition.
But as that position has been delayed, the Globes reported, “the difficulties in the coalition led her to choose an ideological resignation at this time.”
According to Globes, neither Meretz Party head Nitzan Horowitz nor other coalition senior members had prior knowledge of Zoabi’s intentions.