Israeli-Arab filmmaker Ibtisam Mara'ana announced on Thursday that she was leaving the list of Knesset candidates from Meretz and the new leftist party because of their failure to oppose Israel's counterterror operation in Gaza from the outset, according to Ynet. Mara'ana had been number 12 on the list.

The leadership of the two parties expressed surprise at the decision and said they would try to convice her to reconsider her decision. The party had announced a wide ranging internet campaign to stop the operation.