Election likely as Israeli PM's terms for saving coalition rejected

PanARMENIAN.Net - Finance Minister Yair Lapid late Monday, Dec 1, rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ultimatums presented to him in a meeting billed as a last-ditch attempt to preserve the coalition, according to Haaretz.

Netanyahu demanded that Lapid stop “sabotaging the work of the government,” retract his opposition to Netanyahu’s version of the Jewish nation-state bill, and freeze the zero-VAT plan, the flagship of Lapid’s economic agenda.

At the end of the hour-long meeting, Lapid told the prime minister that he could not accede to these demands – paving his way out of the coalition.

“If the unprecedented behavior of some government ministers continues, there will be no choice but to go to elections again,” Netanyahu said in a statement after the meeting. No reaction from Lapid was forthcoming by press time.

Netanyahu also demanded that Lapid transfer NIS 6 billion to the Defense Ministry for training and equipment, and free the funds necessary for the Israel Defense Forces to move its training bases to the Negev.

The meeting was the first between the two men since the crisis between them erupted a few weeks ago. The meeting was aimed at deciding whether the two could continue working together or whether new elections should be called, Haaretz says.

Netanyahu’s associates said prior to the meeting that he hasn’t yet decided whether to continue the current coalition or call new elections, and his decision will rest largely on the outcome of the meeting with Lapid. Lapid’s Yesh Atid party is Netanyahu’s largest coalition partner.

Sources in Netanyahu’s Likud party said they believe they have managed to block all possible avenues by which Lapid could replace Netanyahu with an alternative government without holding elections. This assessment is based on promises by the two ultra-Orthodox parties not to cooperate with such a move and conciliatory statements made recently by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who heads another coalition party, Yisrael Beiteinu.

Netanyahu also accused ministers of attacking his diplomatic policies. “Even construction in Jerusalem has become a controversial subject for them,” he said, adding that their criticism “strengthens international criticism of Israel.”

Certain ministers are trying to replace both the government and him, Netanyahu charged. “They are violating agreements that have been reached, such as increasing the defense budget and moving army bases to southern Israel.”

“I demand that they close ranks behind the correct policy for leading the country – for its security, its economy and lowering the cost of living,” he added. “If they agree to do so, we can continue to work together. If they refuse, we’ll draw conclusions and go to the voters.”