The United Arab List suspends its support for the Bennett government, following the Jerusalem clashes
The United Arab List announced on Sunday the suspension of its participation in the Israeli coalition government led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, due to the violence that focused on Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings in Jerusalem.
Bennett took office last June after strenuous efforts to form a coalition capable of ousting Israel's longest-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The coalition had a narrow majority of 61 lawmakers in the 120-seat Knesset.
But the government lost a majority earlier this month when a far-right MK resigned over a government decision to allow the distribution of leavened bread products in hospitals during Easter in line with a recent Supreme Court ruling that reversed years of bans.
Thus, the ruling coalition has 60 seats.
The coalition is made up of a mixture of left-wing, ultra-Orthodox and religious parties, in addition to the United Arab List, and is marred by deep ideological divisions.
On Sunday evening, the United Arab List, which occupies four seats in the Israeli Knesset, announced the suspension of its support for the government, after two days of clashes between police and Palestinian demonstrators in Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings in Jerusalem, leaving 150 injured.
And the list waved in a statement that "if the government continues its arbitrary steps against Jerusalem and its people... we will submit a collective resignation."
The withdrawal of the United Arab List from Bennett's coalition will not immediately affect the government, as the Knesset is in recess until May 5.
Sources told AFP that Naftali Bennett would seek to calm the situation.
Bennett's coalition can rule with 60 seats, although it is difficult to pass new legislation.
But if another deputy leaves the coalition, parliament can hold a vote of no-confidence and return Israelis to the polls in a parliamentary election that will be the fifth in four years.
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