Netanyahu Says Prevented Holding Early Election In Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that he had managed to keep the parliamentary majority for the ruling coalition and thus prevent holding early elections in the country.

TEL AVIV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th November, 2018) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that he had managed to keep the parliamentary majority for the ruling coalition and thus prevent holding early elections in the country.

"I am happy that my efforts have brought results. We have one more year before the election," Netanyahu said at a meeting of Likud parliamentary faction.

On November 14, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced his resignation over disagreements with other members of the cabinet regarding the cessation of hostilities against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.

The resignation of Lieberman and withdrawal of his right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party from the ruling coalition have not deprived Netanyahu of the parliamentary majority's support, but reduced the ruling coalition to 61 seats in the 120-seat Knesset.

Netanyahu said on Sunday that the country cannot hold early election over security issues and called on coalition partners to prevent the government from dissolution.

Naftali Bennet, the Israeli education minister and the leader of the far-right Habayit Hayehudi party, said earlier on Monday that his party would remain in the ruling coalition.