The Israeli Knesset fails to extend the controversial “citizenship law”

Bennett presented the vote on the citizenship law as a vote of confidence in his new, ideologically diverse government, comprising left-wing, centre-right, right-wing and Arab parties.

After a stormy debate that lasted all night, the vote tied with 59 members in approval of the law, and the same number against, which will prevent its renewal.

Bennett had made a settlement with the “Southern Islamic Movement” led by Mansour Abbas, who is participating in the government. Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked said in the Knesset, “We reached understandings between the government coalition bloc to extend the law for six months, and for 1,600 Palestinians to obtain permanent residency in the country.”

But two members of the United Arab List (of which the Southern Islamic Movement is the mainstay) abstained, Saeed Al Kharumi and Mazen Ghaneim, and MK Amichai Shekli of Bennett’s Yamina party voted against the law.

To approve the law, which Bennett described as “essential to national security,” the Israeli prime minister called on opposition right-wing parties led by Benjamin Netanyahu, who ousted him last month, to support the law.

He said, “I call on my friends in the opposition not to tamper with things in which state security is a red line, and the state needs to control who enters it and who obtains citizenship in it.”

But Netanyahu refused to help pass the bill. “You are the government and the responsibility lies with you,” he said. He added: “You cannot form a government based on anti-Zionist forces (in reference to the United Arab List party) and come to us and ask us to save you.”

Right-wing opposition politicians, who had previously supported the law, led by Netanyahu, voted against the law to embarrass Bennett.

Under the abolition of this law, thousands of Palestinians married to Israeli citizens may be able to change their legal status, reside with their families, and move around more easily.