The National Union (Ichud Leumi) Knesset faction caused a storm Wednesday as three of its four MKs voted with the government in an initial hearing on the budget. Opposition parties had expected that the National Union would vote against the budget.
MK Chaim Oron of Meretz and MK Ahmed Tibi of Ra'am Ta'al accused National Union MKs Uri Ariel, Yaakov “Ketzaleh” Katz, and Michael Ben-Ari of having taken a bribe in exchange for their votes.
Tibi suggested that the postponement of an order to seal the upper stories of Beit Yehonatan, a Jerusalem apartment complex inhabited by religious-Zionist Jews, may have been linked to Wednesday's vote. His claim was rejected by the coalition, which stated that no deals of any kind had been reached with the National Union.
MK Tibi has often clashed with National Union MKs, who have called him out over support for terrorism and visits to enemy countries.
Harel Cohen, spokesman for the National Union, said Wednesday that there was nothing unusual about the MKs' vote. “We don't work for Opposition head Tzipi Livni, or for those who wish us ill,” he said. MKs Katz, Ben-Ari, and Ariel voted their conscience, and were not promised anything in return, he said.
MK Aryeh Eldad voted against the budget. Each MK was given the freedom to vote as they saw fit, Cohen explained.
When asked if the vote was a first sign that the National Union could join the government, he responded, “That is a fitting question; the answer will come later.”