Israel's Prime Minister Urges Key Coalition Partner Gantz To Prevent Early Elections

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd December, 2020) Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address on Wednesday that he sees no need for early elections amid the novel coronavirus crisis and urged his chief coalition partner Benny Gantz to halt the dissolution of the country's parliament.

Netanyahu spoke just hours after the Knesset adopted in preliminary reading a bill to dissolve itself with Gantz's Kahol Lavan faction voting in favor of the initiative. The bill needs three readings to come into law and bring about early elections - the fourth election in two years.

"Benny Gantz has to hit the brake, he has to stop dragging Israel to elections... It's not too late. In no case should Israel be allowed to be dragged into election politics when we need to fight coronavirus, save lives and restore the economy," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu said the people of Israel want unity, not polling stations, and they want a vaccine, not an election campaign, adding that the only way to defeat the coronavirus is to win together.