MKs boycott Arab List MKs in opening of Knesset winter session
In a rare show of bi-partisanship, members of the Coalition and Opposition boycott Joint Arab List MKs at opening of winter session; Arab List boycotted Peres funeral, prompting the bi-partisan action.
During the Knesset recess, the coalition parties made overtures across the aisle for a bi-partisan policy to boycott the Joint Arab List, which includes having every Knesset member leaving the Knesset chamber any time a Joint Arab List member went up to speak.
However, one hitch noticed in the plan is that according to Knesset parliamentary procedure, at least one government minister must be in the Knesset chamber, along with the speaker of the Knesset or one of his deputies. As all of these people are in parties which are part of the coalition, this means that at least one member of the coalition must be in the chamber while the Joint Arab List member speaks.
Additionally, two members of the Likud have refused to join in the boycott; MK Oren Hazan, who refuses to give up his ability to heckle whenever a Joint Arab List member is speaking (as is every Knesset Member’s ability). Additionally, Yehuda Glick has announced that he will not boycott anyone, no matter who they are.
However, the majority of the Knesset members did boycott the no confidence measure the Joint Arab List put forth to pray in memory of the victims of the Kfar Qassem massacre.
As is stipulated by law, a minister – Tourism Minister Yariv Levin - was in the Knesset chamber, as was Deputy Knesset Chairwoman Tali Ploskov, who conducted the Knesset session.
As they were praying, Minister Levin yelled “this isn’t a protest, get them out of here. (The Knesset chamber) isn’t a place for protests or demonstrations. This isn’t a mosque. We will not stop the session (for this).”
