Knesset member Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi of the Meretz Party said yesterday she will support the government despite her May 19 announcement that she was quitting the coalition. Thus the Bennett-Lapid government has survived another coalition crisis. Rinawie Zoabi reportedly changed her mind following a long meeting at the Finance Ministry with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Minister in the Finance Ministry Hamad Amar of the Yisrael Beitenu Party, Minister for Regional Cooperation Esawi Frej of Meretz and several Arab heads of local authorities.

At the meeting, Ronawie Zoabi said, "I come from Arab local government, where I grew up politically. Now I am in the Knesset in order to benefit the Arab community. … I am aware and understand that the alternative to this government is that the next police minister will be [far-right Knesset member Itamar] Ben Gvir and I want to prevent that alternative. … I will support the coalition. But I want the government to be genuine and attentive to the Arab community and its needs in health, education, housing and infrastructure."

Lapid said, "I welcome Knesset member Rinawie Zoabi back to the coalition. We conducted an open, candid, temperate discussion of the real needs of the Arab community, both with her and with the heads of the local authorities, whom I thank for coming and rallying around us. We have put this dispute behind us and we are getting back to work in the government."

After the meeting, Frej tweeted, “It was all for the best, the coalition emerged stronger from the crisis. We will continue to work for the benefit of the Arab community and the benefit of all of Israeli society.”