Israeli Arab MK Ghaida Rinawie-Zoabi, a member of the Meretz party, sparked controversy on Sunday when, during an interview with public broadcaster Kan 11 News, she asserted that her party could prevent the government from taking serious military action in the Gaza Strip or elsewhere.
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The Islamic Ra'am party, another coalition member, would do the same, she argued.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett "knows that if the government decides to engage in a military conflict – the coalition will fall because both Meretz and Ra'am will not approve," she said.
"Meretz and Ra'am's presence in the coalition restrains the sharpness of any military decision."
She explained that "it's in the coalition agreements. The government has agreed that it will only deal with economic and civil matters.
"Bennett knows that if the government enters into a military confrontation, the coalition will fall, because Meretz and Ra'am will not agree to such a thing," she reiterated.
As an example, she gave last week's Hezbollah rocket fire on northern Israel saying that if Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu had still been prime minister, Israel's retaliation would have been stronger than it was under Bennett.
"I believe – this is my interpretation – that Bennett understands that he's permanently lost the right-wing voters, so he needs to understand that he is closer to the Left," she said.
Rinawi-Zoabi's comments sparked angry reactions from the Right, with Religious Zionism Party MK Ofir Sofer tweeting, "When a nightmare becomes reality: The Bennett-Ra'am-Meretz government endangers Israel's security."
Likud MK Shlomo Karhi tweeted, "When the Muslim Brotherhood sets the agenda in the Israeli government(!), together with the anti-Zionists in Meretz and Labor, there is no doubt that Zoabi is right … this government is dangerous.
"Extremist elements have taken over the ship's helm, while its captains are fast asleep. We have to wake up before it's too late."
Rinawi-Zoabi's remarks also ruffled some feathers within Meretz, as well.
Party leader Nitzan Horowitz affirmed his loyalty to the coalition, saying Tuesday that "any action taken by the government under its given mandate is legitimate. Hezbollah fire on the [Israeli] communities was criminal and Israel reacted forcibly, as it should have."
Fellow party member Mossi Raz told the Tel Aviv-based 103FM Radio on Monday that "She may be speaking in her own name, but I don't accept what she said. We want to strengthen the government, not topple it.
"Obviously want all Israelis to be safe, and they will not be threatened," he stressed, adding that "in general, military decisions are made by the cabinet, and neither I nor MK Rinawie-Zoabi have a say in the matter.
"As a side not, I will say I believe that it is the government's responsibility to do everything it can to avoid a military conflict, god forbid."
Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked (Yamina), who was interviewed by 103FM Radio later on Monday, called Rinawie-Zoabi's remarks "an idiotic statement that there is no point in delving into.
"If there is a security need to launch an operation or a war, heaven forbid, in the north, in the south or elsewhere, then we will do it," she asserted.
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Shaked admitted that "if one MK or another decides to overthrow the government – it will fall but we will act according to Israel's security needs and not according to statements made by one MK or another."
Rinawie-Zoabi, 48, hails from Nazareth and is the founding executive director of Injaz – Center for Professional Arab Local Governance. She is not directly related to former Balad MK Haneen Zoabi or pro-Israel advocate Muhammad Zoabi.
JNS.org contributed to this report.
