Netanyahu Believes Possible Early Elections In Israel Wrong, Unnecessary Option

TEL AVIV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th November, 2018) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he considered it unnecessary and wrong to convene early elections in the country, given the difficult security environment.

The head of government is trying to keep the right-religious coalition that was left this week by the Russian-speaking defense minister Avigdor Lieberman and his party, Israel Our Home, from collapse.

"In a period so sensitive from the point of view of security, it is unnecessary and wrong to convene elections," Netanyahu said at a government meeting.

On Sunday evening, Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon. The prime minister sees the meeting as the last decisive attempt to prevent elections.

Kahlon heads the Kulanu centrist party, which with 10 seats in the Knesset is the largest coalition ally of the ruling Likud party. With the resignation of Lieberman, who thus disagreed with the cessation of hostilities against Palestinian militants, Netanyahu remained with a minimum parliamentary majority of 61 seats out of 120.

If the collapse of the coalition cannot be stopped, the Knesset will soon pass a law on self-dissolution, setting a date for early elections. According to local media, they will most likely be conducted in late March.

The lawmakers will continue to work until the day of national voting, and the government until the formation of a new one. The terms of cabinet and the parliament, both formed in 2015, expire in November next year.