Following a major blow to the coalition on Monday night when the Yehudah and Shomron Regulations Law failed to pass, it suffered another blow when a vote to reappoint MK Matan Kahana as Religious Affairs Minister ended in a draw, with the help of rogue Yamina MK Idit Silman.

It was the first time that Silman voted against the government since quitting the coalition three months ago and the move put her political future at risk. Prior to the vote, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced that the vote will be a no-confidence motion in the government, giving the Yamina party ammunition to declare Silman a defector if she voted against it.

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Yamina is reportedly planning on beginning the process of sanctioning Silman by removing her from her position as chairwoman of the Knesset’s Health Committee and replacing her with Yamina MK Shirley Pinto. Additionally, the coalition is pressuring Ra’am MK Mazen Ghanaim and Meretz MK Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi, who voted against the Yehudah and Shomron regulations, to quit the government, hoping to replace them with MKs who will comply with party discipline.

Kahana resigned from his position as minister about a month ago in order to oust then-MK Yom Tov Kalfon from the Knesset. Meanwhile, he has continued with his activities in the Religious Affairs Ministry as Deputy Minister.

In April, Yamina declared MK Amichai Shikli, who resigned from the party immediately after it formed a coalition with the left and Ra’am, as a “defector,” ousting him from the party.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)