The drama reached a climax in the Knesset this week, with the defeat of the government’s attempt to extend an amendment to the law governing citizenship and entry into Israel. The vote failed to obtain a majority when Knesset member Amichai Chikli of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s own Yamina party voted against it and two members of the Arab Raam, Mazen Ghnaim and Said al-Harumi, abstained. In the final tally, 59 members voted for the law, but the same number voted against it, so it did not pass. It was the coalition’s first defeat.

The amendment, traditionally renewed on a yearly basis, prevents entry into Israel and resident status for Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza who are married to Israelis in the name of family reunification. Many Israelis agree that the reasoning behind this legislation is political and with demographic aims, even if it is framed as a security matter. The legislation is designed to prevent thousands of Palestinians from seeking residency in Israel, even though a few thousand Arab individuals at most would surely not undermine the Jewish majority.

Several weeks have passed since Raam made history by becoming the first Arab party to join a governing coalition, a sharp break from long tradition. The current government could not have been formed without its support. This week’s late-night drama leading up to the vote underscored the conflicts and complexities inherent to including such a party in the coalition. Raam found itself being forced to vote for a law that targets its own Arab constituents.

Raam’s vote highlights the dilemma it faces in participating fully in the political game. Anyone who thought that joining the coalition would be a pleasant experience leading to such enviable perks as jobs in government, committee memberships and budgets for Israel's Arab society is suddenly facing the steep price for them.