Israel Avoids Early Elections After Netanyahu's Coalition is Saved
REPRIEVE
Government came to brink of collapse over Gaza ceasefire.
Reuters / Amir Cohen
Israel will avoid an early election after a key coalition partner in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government said Monday he would not withdraw his party over a crisis revolving around an outbreak of violence and a subsequent ceasefire deal in Gaza. Education Minister Naftali Bennett previously threatened to withdraw from the coalition if he wasn't given the defense minister post which was left vacant after Avigdor Lieberman resigned, accusing Netanyahu of “capitulating to Hamas terror” with the truce deal. However, Bennett said Monday that he and his Jewish Home party would give Netanyahu another chance and stay in the coalition. “I tell the prime minister here: we are withdrawing right now all of our political demands and will stand to help you in this great mission of getting Israel to win again,” he said. The retreat allows the coalition to keep governing with a razor-thin 61-seat majority in Israel’s 120-seat parliament.
