In the shadow of the political crisis following the resignation of Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will meet Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon on Sunday to discuss the future of the government and the date of the 2019 elections. Netanyahu is expected to urge Kahlon to continue with the current coalition until the end of its term in about another year, with a one-seat majority since there are 61 members in the coalition today following the resignation of Lieberman and his Yisrael Beitenu party, which has six seats. One is reminded that the government functioned for about 18 months following elections with a one-seat majority, until Lieberman was given the Defense Ministry portfolio, adding the six seats during the past two years.

Kahlon however feels that the stability of the state and the economy requires elections as soon as possible, and that if Netanyahu does not convince him, he will support the dissolution of the Knesset, in line with the position of Naftali Bennet and his Bayit Yehudi party. Bennet announced he wants elections after learning he will not be receiving the defense portfolio in Lieberman’s place as he hoped would be the case.

Prior to meeting with Kahlon, who holds the finance portfolio and heads the 10-seat Kulanu party, Mr. Netanyahu will be meeting with Likud faction members this morning, but he canceled the forum of ministers and factions’ leader meetings that were scheduled.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister hinted that the meeting with Kahlon was “a last attempt to convince him not to topple the government” and signaled “all of us responsible for the toppling of the government”, and that “It is forbidden to topple a right-wing government.” Kahlon, for his part, said it was spin.

“It is impossible to conduct a coalition of 61 in the fourth year of the government, and I will not abandon the economy and the citizens for another two or three months”, explained Kahlon. In an interview with “Weekend News” Kahlon said he was not opposed to Bennet’s appointment to the defense portfolio but did not think the government could continue to function as a narrow government. He added that if the Prime Minister cannot convince him that the narrow coalition can continue until the end of its term, then he too will call for early elections, the sooner the better”.

In the days that have passed since Lieberman’s resignation, Netanyahu has been busy trying to stabilize the coalition and continue the work of the government in a narrow format of 61 MKs. After a round of meetings with all party leaders on Friday he met with Bennet and discussed his demand to accept the defense portfolio as a condition for continuing the current government.

Netanyahu informed Bennet that he would not appoint him for the defense portfolio at present, and for now, he will hold on to the portfolio, but added he does not completely reject Bennet assuming the post, placing the responsibility on the heads of the other factions in the coalition who he said would not agree to the appointment. Kahlon said at the end of the week that, contrary to the reports, he did not veto Bennet’s appointment to the defense portfolio, and now the ball is back in Netanyahu’s court.

Mr. Netanyahu is reportedly angry, for he feels there is no reason to dissolve the current coalition and head to elections instead of completing the term until November 2019. That said, both Kahlon and Bennet are preparing for elections in March 2019.

Needless to say, the chareidim prefer to continue as is, fearing early elections will result in a coalition that is not as ‘chareidi-friendly’ as the current one, and no less important, they fear cutting the coalition’s tenure short will place the fate of the talmidei yeshivos and avreichim in the hands of the High Court of Justice as the deadline to legislate a new draft law will expire.

A poll taken by the Midgam Institute headed by Dr. Mincha Tzemach, in cooperation with iPanel, presents some interesting formation regarding the scenarios reported above.

Do you think the Defense Ministry portfolio should be given to Naftali Bennet?
51% No
25% Don’t know
24% Yes

Do the recent political developments justify heading to early elections?
53% Yes
32% No
15% Don’t know

If elections were held today, which party would you vote for?
Likud 30
Yesh Atid 18
Machane Tzioni 12
Arab List 12
Bayit Yehudi 10
Kulanu 8
Shas 7
Yisrael Beitenu 6
Orli Abekasis-Levi 6
Yahadut Hatorah 6
Meretz 5

If elections were held today, and former IDF Chief Benny Gantz joins the Machane Tzioni, which party would you vote for?
Likud 26
Machane Tzioni 24
Yesh Atid 14
Arab List 12
Bayit Yehudi 9
Shas 7
Kulanu 7
Yahadut Hatorah 6
Yisrael Beitenu 6
Orli Abekasis-Levi 5
Meretz 4

Was DM Lieberman’s resignation a correct move?
59% Yes
26% No
15% Don’t know

What do you think was the main factor leading to DM Lieberman’s resignation?
49% Lack of agreement with the cabinet’s decisions
36% Political and personal considerations
11% Don’t know
4% Disagreement with the IDF

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)