Netanyahu's Renewed Opposition to Early Elections in Israel

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, who is facing a crisis in his complex government coalition, stated on Sunday that he opposes holding early elections. He emphasized during a meeting with his cabinet that given the security situation and at this critical juncture, holding elections is both unnecessary and wrong. According to reports, Mr. Netanyahu is set to meet on Sunday evening with Moshe Kahlon, his finance minister from the center-right party, to prevent the collapse of his government. On a day that Israeli media described as 'dramatic' for the Prime Minister and his government, Benjamin Netanyahu is attempting to save his government from collapse following the resignation of Avigdor Lieberman from the Ministry of Defense last week. Lieberman resigned in protest against the ceasefire with armed Palestinian groups in Gaza, and his secular right-wing party, 'Israel Beiteinu,' also exited the government coalition. Reports indicate that the leader of the religious right-wing party 'Jewish Home' has again conditioned the party's continued presence in the government coalition on the appointment of its leader, Naftali Bennett, to the Ministry of Defense. Netanyahu stated during his cabinet meeting that 'at this critical time, we must prevent the collapse of the government.' Israeli elections are scheduled to take place in their original timeframe in November 2019. However, the survival of a government supported by only 61 representatives out of 120 members of the Knesset is not an easy task. The issue of Netanyahu's government survival and three options ahead of him is pressing. Last week, before the Gaza crisis shook his government, Netanyahu claimed that he is ready to step down from the premiership, asserting that there is no politician in Israel of his stature to take on this role. The political tension that has confronted the cohesion of Netanyahu's fourth government in its final year has been exacerbated since Tuesday evening following the establishment of an unwritten ceasefire between Israel and Gaza mediated by Egypt. This unofficial ceasefire came after two days of clashes, during which 500 rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel, and Israel conducted the heaviest airstrikes against Gaza in the past four years. The clashes on Monday and Tuesday between the Israeli army and Palestinian armed groups mark the sixth such confrontation this year, following an unsuccessful Israeli special operation in Gaza on Sunday, apparently aimed at capturing or killing Marwan Issa, the deputy head of Hamas's military wing.